diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index d071cdc608f..d29fdb81827 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -2776,7 +2776,12 @@ let
   boehmgc_cvs = callPackage ../development/libraries/boehm-gc { };
 
   # There are good reasons to use CVS instead of 7.1 or 7.2alpha4.
-  boehmgc = boehmgc_cvs;
+  # See `default.nix' for details.
+  boehmgc =
+    # XXX: `fetchcvs' doesn't work on FreeBSD ("cp: illegal option -- d").
+    if stdenv.system == "i686-freebsd"
+    then boehmgc_7_1
+    else boehmgc_cvs;
 
   boolstuff = callPackage ../development/libraries/boolstuff { };