diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/builder.sh b/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/builder.sh
index a9b33d9a3e4f..be0e97dac6cb 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/builder.sh
@@ -197,6 +197,11 @@ preInstall() {
         ln -s lib "$out/${targetConfig}/lib64"
         ln -s lib "${!outputLib}/${targetConfig}/lib64"
     fi
+    # Make ‘lib32’ symlinks to ‘lib’.
+    if [ -n "$linkLib32toLib" ]; then
+        ln -s lib "$out/${targetConfig}/lib32"
+        ln -s lib "${!outputLib}/${targetConfig}/lib32"
+    fi
 }
 
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/common/pre-configure.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/common/pre-configure.nix
index 180d5f16e91f..01835b9fc107 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/common/pre-configure.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/gcc/common/pre-configure.nix
@@ -78,3 +78,13 @@ in lib.optionalString (hostPlatform.isSunOS && hostPlatform.is64bit) ''
 + lib.optionalString (targetPlatform != hostPlatform && crossStageStatic) ''
   export inhibit_libc=true
 ''
+
+# On mips platforms, gcc follows the IRIX naming convention:
+#
+#  $PREFIX/lib   = mips32
+#  $PREFIX/lib32 = mips64n32
+#  $PREFIX/lib64 = mips64
+#
++ lib.optionalString (targetPlatform.isMips64n32) ''
+  export linkLib32toLib=1
+''