diff --git a/pkgs/tools/archivers/gnutar/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/archivers/gnutar/default.nix
index 738680a552a..331d977147b 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/archivers/gnutar/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/archivers/gnutar/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, autoreconfHook, acl }:
+{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, autoreconfHook, acl, libintl }:
 
 # Note: this package is used for bootstrapping fetchurl, and thus
 # cannot use fetchpatch! All mutable patches (generated by GitHub or
@@ -31,7 +31,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   outputs = [ "out" "info" ];
 
   nativeBuildInputs = lib.optional stdenv.isDarwin autoreconfHook;
-  buildInputs = lib.optional stdenv.isLinux acl;
+  # Add libintl on Darwin specifically as it fails to link (or skip)
+  # NLS on it's own:
+  #  "_libintl_textdomain", referenced from:
+  #    _main in tar.o
+  #  ld: symbol(s) not found for architecture x86_64
+  buildInputs = lib.optional stdenv.isLinux acl ++ lib.optional stdenv.isDarwin libintl;
 
   # May have some issues with root compilation because the bootstrap tool
   # cannot be used as a login shell for now.