diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/boost/generic.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/boost/generic.nix
index 12fbf13fa9a0..1881f06aa4af 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/boost/generic.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/boost/generic.nix
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@ let
     # TODO: make this unconditional
   ] ++ optionals (stdenv.hostPlatform != stdenv.buildPlatform) [
     "address-model=${toString stdenv.hostPlatform.parsed.cpu.bits}"
-    "architecture=${if stdenv.hostPlatform.isMips64 then "mips64" else toString stdenv.hostPlatform.parsed.cpu.family}"
+    "architecture=${if stdenv.hostPlatform.isMips64
+                    then if versionOlder version "1.78" then "mips1" else "mips"
+                    else toString stdenv.hostPlatform.parsed.cpu.family}"
     "binary-format=${toString stdenv.hostPlatform.parsed.kernel.execFormat.name}"
     "target-os=${toString stdenv.hostPlatform.parsed.kernel.name}"