diff --git a/nixos/release.nix b/nixos/release.nix
index 6a3fcea17683..0b8d7318cd8a 100644
--- a/nixos/release.nix
+++ b/nixos/release.nix
@@ -17,14 +17,14 @@ let
   } // args);
 
   # Note: only supportedSystems are considered.
-  callTestOnTheseSystems = systems: fn: args:
-    forTheseSystems
+  callTestOnMatchingSystems = systems: fn: args:
+    forMatchingSystems
       (intersectLists supportedSystems systems)
       (system: hydraJob (importTest fn args system));
-  callTest = callTestOnTheseSystems supportedSystems;
+  callTest = callTestOnMatchingSystems supportedSystems;
 
-  callSubTests = callSubTestsOnTheseSystems supportedSystems;
-  callSubTestsOnTheseSystems = systems: fn: args: let
+  callSubTests = callSubTestsOnMatchingSystems supportedSystems;
+  callSubTestsOnMatchingSystems = systems: fn: args: let
     discover = attrs: let
       subTests = filterAttrs (const (hasAttr "test")) attrs;
     in mapAttrs (const (t: hydraJob t.test)) subTests;
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ in rec {
   # Build the initial ramdisk so Hydra can keep track of its size over time.
   initialRamdisk = buildFromConfig ({ pkgs, ... }: { }) (config: config.system.build.initialRamdisk);
 
-  netboot = forTheseSystems [ "x86_64-linux" "aarch64-linux" ] (system: makeNetboot {
+  netboot = forMatchingSystems [ "x86_64-linux" "aarch64-linux" ] (system: makeNetboot {
     inherit system;
     modules = [
       ./modules/installer/netboot/netboot-minimal.nix
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ in rec {
     inherit system;
   });
 
-  iso_graphical = forTheseSystems [ "x86_64-linux" ] (system: makeIso {
+  iso_graphical = forMatchingSystems [ "x86_64-linux" ] (system: makeIso {
     module = ./modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-kde.nix;
     type = "graphical";
     inherit system;
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ in rec {
 
   # A variant with a more recent (but possibly less stable) kernel
   # that might support more hardware.
-  iso_minimal_new_kernel = forTheseSystems [ "x86_64-linux" ] (system: makeIso {
+  iso_minimal_new_kernel = forMatchingSystems [ "x86_64-linux" ] (system: makeIso {
     module = ./modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-minimal-new-kernel.nix;
     type = "minimal-new-kernel";
     inherit system;
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ in rec {
 
 
   # A bootable VirtualBox virtual appliance as an OVA file (i.e. packaged OVF).
-  ova = forTheseSystems [ "x86_64-linux" ] (system:
+  ova = forMatchingSystems [ "x86_64-linux" ] (system:
 
     with import nixpkgs { inherit system; };
 
@@ -233,9 +233,9 @@ in rec {
   tests.boot-stage1 = callTest tests/boot-stage1.nix {};
   tests.borgbackup = callTest tests/borgbackup.nix {};
   tests.buildbot = callTest tests/buildbot.nix {};
-  tests.cadvisor = callTestOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/cadvisor.nix {};
-  tests.ceph = callTestOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/ceph.nix {};
-  tests.chromium = (callSubTestsOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/chromium.nix {}).stable or {};
+  tests.cadvisor = callTestOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/cadvisor.nix {};
+  tests.ceph = callTestOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/ceph.nix {};
+  tests.chromium = (callSubTestsOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/chromium.nix {}).stable or {};
   tests.cjdns = callTest tests/cjdns.nix {};
   tests.cloud-init = callTest tests/cloud-init.nix {};
   tests.containers-ipv4 = callTest tests/containers-ipv4.nix {};
@@ -249,21 +249,21 @@ in rec {
   tests.containers-hosts = callTest tests/containers-hosts.nix {};
   tests.containers-macvlans = callTest tests/containers-macvlans.nix {};
   tests.couchdb = callTest tests/couchdb.nix {};
-  tests.docker = callTestOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/docker.nix {};
-  tests.docker-tools = callTestOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/docker-tools.nix {};
-  tests.docker-edge = callTestOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/docker-edge.nix {};
+  tests.docker = callTestOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/docker.nix {};
+  tests.docker-tools = callTestOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/docker-tools.nix {};
+  tests.docker-edge = callTestOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/docker-edge.nix {};
   tests.dovecot = callTest tests/dovecot.nix {};
-  tests.dnscrypt-proxy = callTestOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/dnscrypt-proxy.nix {};
+  tests.dnscrypt-proxy = callTestOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/dnscrypt-proxy.nix {};
   tests.ecryptfs = callTest tests/ecryptfs.nix {};
-  tests.etcd = callTestOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/etcd.nix {};
-  tests.ec2-nixops = (callSubTestsOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/ec2.nix {}).boot-ec2-nixops or {};
-  tests.ec2-config = (callSubTestsOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/ec2.nix {}).boot-ec2-config or {};
-  tests.elk = callSubTestsOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/elk.nix {};
+  tests.etcd = callTestOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/etcd.nix {};
+  tests.ec2-nixops = (callSubTestsOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/ec2.nix {}).boot-ec2-nixops or {};
+  tests.ec2-config = (callSubTestsOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/ec2.nix {}).boot-ec2-config or {};
+  tests.elk = callSubTestsOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/elk.nix {};
   tests.env = callTest tests/env.nix {};
   tests.ferm = callTest tests/ferm.nix {};
   tests.firefox = callTest tests/firefox.nix {};
   tests.firewall = callTest tests/firewall.nix {};
-  tests.fleet = callTestOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/fleet.nix {};
+  tests.fleet = callTestOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/fleet.nix {};
   tests.fwupd = callTest tests/fwupd.nix {};
   #tests.gitlab = callTest tests/gitlab.nix {};
   tests.gitolite = callTest tests/gitolite.nix {};
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ in rec {
   tests.kernel-copperhead = callTest tests/kernel-copperhead.nix {};
   tests.kernel-latest = callTest tests/kernel-latest.nix {};
   tests.kernel-lts = callTest tests/kernel-lts.nix {};
-  tests.kubernetes = callSubTestsOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/kubernetes/default.nix {};
+  tests.kubernetes = callSubTestsOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/kubernetes/default.nix {};
   tests.latestKernel.login = callTest tests/login.nix { latestKernel = true; };
   tests.ldap = callTest tests/ldap.nix {};
   #tests.lightdm = callTest tests/lightdm.nix {};
@@ -326,14 +326,14 @@ in rec {
   tests.nginx = callTest tests/nginx.nix { };
   tests.nghttpx = callTest tests/nghttpx.nix { };
   tests.nix-ssh-serve = callTest tests/nix-ssh-serve.nix { };
-  tests.novacomd = callTestOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/novacomd.nix { };
+  tests.novacomd = callTestOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/novacomd.nix { };
   tests.leaps = callTest tests/leaps.nix { };
   tests.nsd = callTest tests/nsd.nix {};
   tests.openssh = callTest tests/openssh.nix {};
   tests.openldap = callTest tests/openldap.nix {};
   tests.owncloud = callTest tests/owncloud.nix {};
   tests.pam-oath-login = callTest tests/pam-oath-login.nix {};
-  #tests.panamax = callTestOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/panamax.nix {};
+  #tests.panamax = callTestOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/panamax.nix {};
   tests.peerflix = callTest tests/peerflix.nix {};
   tests.php-pcre = callTest tests/php-pcre.nix {};
   tests.postgresql = callSubTests tests/postgresql.nix {};
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ in rec {
   tests.tomcat = callTest tests/tomcat.nix {};
   tests.udisks2 = callTest tests/udisks2.nix {};
   tests.vault = callTest tests/vault.nix {};
-  tests.virtualbox = callSubTestsOnTheseSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/virtualbox.nix {};
+  tests.virtualbox = callSubTestsOnMatchingSystems ["x86_64-linux"] tests/virtualbox.nix {};
   tests.wordpress = callTest tests/wordpress.nix {};
   tests.xautolock = callTest tests/xautolock.nix {};
   tests.xfce = callTest tests/xfce.nix {};
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/release-cross.nix b/pkgs/top-level/release-cross.nix
index ef99dbd619e4..0d15d817a66c 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/release-cross.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/release-cross.nix
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ in
         f (["buildPackages"] ++ path) { inherit system crossSystem; }
       );
 
-    testEqual = path: systems: forTheseSystems systems (testEqualOne path);
+    testEqual = path: systems: forMatchingSystems systems (testEqualOne path);
 
     mapTestEqual = lib.mapAttrsRecursive testEqual;
 
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/release-lib.nix b/pkgs/top-level/release-lib.nix
index dbeb13d4bd31..b410348d1e89 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/release-lib.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/release-lib.nix
@@ -48,33 +48,56 @@ rec {
   pkgs_x86_64_cygwin = allPackages { system = "x86_64-cygwin"; };
 
 
+  # Given a list of 'meta.platforms'-style patterns, return the sublist of
+  # `supportedSystems` containing systems that matches at least one of the given
+  # patterns.
+  #
+  # This is written in a funny way so that we only elaborate the systems once.
+  supportedMatches = let
+      supportedPlatforms = map
+        (system: lib.systems.elaborate { inherit system; })
+        supportedSystems;
+    in metaPatterns: let
+      anyMatch = platform:
+        lib.any (lib.meta.platformMatch platform) metaPatterns;
+      matchingPlatforms = lib.filter anyMatch supportedPlatforms;
+    in map ({ system, ...}: system) matchingPlatforms;
+
+
   assertTrue = bool:
     if bool
     then pkgs.runCommand "evaluated-to-true" {} "touch $out"
     else pkgs.runCommand "evaluated-to-false" {} "false";
 
+
   /* The working or failing mails for cross builds will be sent only to
      the following maintainers, as most package maintainers will not be
      interested in the result of cross building a package. */
   crossMaintainers = [ maintainers.viric ];
 
+
+  # Generate attributes for all supported systems.
   forAllSystems = genAttrs supportedSystems;
-  forTheseSystems = systems: f:
-    genAttrs (filter (x: elem x supportedSystems) systems) f;
+
+
+  # Generate attributes for all sytems matching at least one of the given
+  # patterns
+  forMatchingSystems = metaPatterns: genAttrs (supportedMatches metaPatterns);
+
 
   /* Build a package on the given set of platforms.  The function `f'
      is called for each supported platform with Nixpkgs for that
      platform as an argument .  We return an attribute set containing
      a derivation for each supported platform, i.e. ‘{ x86_64-linux =
      f pkgs_x86_64_linux; i686-linux = f pkgs_i686_linux; ... }’. */
-  testOn = systems: f: forTheseSystems systems
+  testOn = metaPatterns: f: forMatchingSystems metaPatterns
     (system: hydraJob' (f (pkgsFor system)));
 
 
   /* Similar to the testOn function, but with an additional
      'crossSystem' parameter for allPackages, defining the target
      platform for cross builds. */
-  testOnCross = crossSystem: systems: f: forTheseSystems systems
+  testOnCross = crossSystem: metaPatterns: f: forMatchingSystems metaPatterns
     (system: hydraJob' (f (allPackages { inherit system crossSystem; })));
 
 
@@ -82,14 +105,14 @@ rec {
      map each leaf node to `testOn [platforms...] (pkgs:
      pkgs.<attrPath>)'. */
   mapTestOn = mapAttrsRecursive
-    (path: systems: testOn systems (pkgs: getAttrFromPath path pkgs));
+    (path: metaPatterns: testOn metaPatterns (pkgs: getAttrFromPath path pkgs));
 
 
   /* Similar to the testOn function, but with an additional 'crossSystem'
    * parameter for allPackages, defining the target platform for cross builds,
    * and triggering the build of the host derivation (cross built - crossDrv). */
   mapTestOnCross = crossSystem: mapAttrsRecursive
-    (path: systems: testOnCross crossSystem systems
+    (path: metaPatterns: testOnCross crossSystem metaPatterns
       (pkgs: addMetaAttrs { maintainers = crossMaintainers; } (getAttrFromPath path pkgs)));
 
 
@@ -98,12 +121,8 @@ rec {
   packagePlatforms = mapAttrs (name: value:
     let res = builtins.tryEval (
       if isDerivation value then
-        value.meta.hydraPlatforms or (let
-            linuxDefaulted = value.meta.platforms or [ "x86_64-linux" ];
-            pred = system: lib.any
-              (lib.meta.platformMatch (lib.systems.elaborate { inherit system; }))
-              linuxDefaulted;
-          in lib.filter pred supportedSystems)
+        value.meta.hydraPlatforms
+          or supportedMatches (value.meta.platforms or [ "x86_64-linux" ])
       else if value.recurseForDerivations or false || value.recurseForRelease or false then
         packagePlatforms value
       else