diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/default.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/default.nix
index ac396ecdf12b..98fc35074c2e 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/default.nix
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ rec {
       shell        = "/bin/bash";
       initialPath  = [ bootstrapTools ];
       fetchurlBoot = fetchurl;
-      cc           = "/no-such-path";
+      cc           = null;
     };
   };
 
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix
index 1bcf74afa328..12fc3fed5a5a 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/default.nix
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ rec {
         };
 
         cc = if isNull gccPlain
-             then "/no-such-path"
+             then null
              else lib.makeOverridable (import ../../build-support/cc-wrapper) {
           nativeTools = false;
           nativeLibc = false;
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/native/default.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/native/default.nix
index 5390907928de..bd90d580d3f5 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/native/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/native/default.nix
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ rec {
 
 
   stdenvBoot0 = makeStdenv {
-    cc = "/no-such-path";
+    cc = null;
     fetchurl = null;
   };