diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/dmd/binary.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/dmd/binary.nix
index 6a99d42eff72..3a5d6b76cec8 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/dmd/binary.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/dmd/binary.nix
@@ -5,7 +5,12 @@ let
   inherit (stdenv) hostPlatform;
   OS = if hostPlatform.isDarwin then "osx" else hostPlatform.parsed.kernel.name;
   MODEL = toString hostPlatform.parsed.cpu.bits;
-in stdenv.mkDerivation {
+in
+
+# On linux pargets like `pkgsLLVM.dmd` `cc` does not expose `libgcc`
+# and can't build `dmd`.
+assert hostPlatform.isLinux -> (stdenv.cc.cc ? libgcc);
+stdenv.mkDerivation {
   pname = "dmd-bootstrap";
   inherit version;