diff --git a/pkgs/development/web/nodejs/v24.nix b/pkgs/development/web/nodejs/v24.nix
index ca6a16ddf1ba..823cd488c5b8 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/web/nodejs/v24.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/web/nodejs/v24.nix
@@ -9,11 +9,15 @@
 }:
 
 let
-  buildNodejs = callPackage ./nodejs.nix {
-    inherit openssl;
-    python = python3;
-    stdenv = buildPackages.llvmPackages_20.libcxxStdenv;
-  };
+  buildNodejs =
+    callPackage ./nodejs.nix {
+      inherit openssl;
+      python = python3;
+    }
+    // lib.optionalAttrs stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin {
+      # libcxx21 makes FD tracking unreliable on Darwin. Pinning to libcxx20:
+      stdenv = buildPackages.llvmPackages_20.libcxxStdenv;
+    };
 
   gypPatches =
     if stdenv.buildPlatform.isDarwin then