diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/ch/chatty/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/ch/chatty/package.nix
index ef4893c0edb4..dcc9275913ae 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/ch/chatty/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/ch/chatty/package.nix
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     sqlite
   ];
 
-  preFixup = ''
+  preFixup = lib.optionalString (plugins != [ ]) ''
     gappsWrapperArgs+=(
       --prefix PURPLE_PLUGIN_PATH : ${lib.escapeShellArg (pidgin.makePluginPath plugins)}
       ${lib.concatMapStringsSep " " (p: p.wrapArgs or "") plugins}