diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghcjs/8.10/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghcjs/8.10/default.nix
index b6c2f7e72ee0..2fbf7ded9c40 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghcjs/8.10/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghcjs/8.10/default.nix
@@ -78,6 +78,11 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation {
     ];
     dontConfigure = true;
     dontInstall = true;
+
+    # Newer versions of `config.sub` reject the `js-ghcjs` host string, but the
+    # older `config.sub` filed vendored within `ghc` still works
+    dontUpdateAutotoolsGnuConfigScripts = true;
+
     buildPhase = ''
       export HOME=$TMP
       mkdir $HOME/.cabal