diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/5.16/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/5.16/default.nix
index 13d2fa5f54b0..eefb098d46be 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/5.16/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/5.16/default.nix
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 let
 
-  libc = stdenv.gcc.libc or "/usr";
+  libc = if stdenv.gcc.libc or null != null then stdenv.gcc.libc else "/usr";
 
 in