diff --git a/pkgs/development/python-modules/berkeleydb/default.nix b/pkgs/development/python-modules/berkeleydb/default.nix
index bf6c93b633d3..01135c55dbbf 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/python-modules/berkeleydb/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/python-modules/berkeleydb/default.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 {
   lib,
+  stdenv,
   buildPythonPackage,
   fetchPypi,
   setuptools,
@@ -19,6 +20,10 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
 
   build-system = [ setuptools ];
 
+  # Every test currently fails with:
+  # berkeleydb.db.DBRunRecoveryError: (-30973, 'BDB0087 DB_RUNRECOVERY: Fatal error, run database recovery -- BDB1546 unable to join the environment')
+  doCheck = !stdenv.isDarwin;
+
   checkPhase = ''
     ${python.interpreter} test.py
   '';