diff --git a/srcpkgs/nix/template b/srcpkgs/nix/template
index 09ebe8b3909..9dd2ccb2b2c 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/nix/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/nix/template
@@ -40,17 +40,12 @@ make_dirs="
 	/nix/var/nix/db 0755 root root
 	/nix/store 1775 root nixbld"
 
-case "$XBPS_TARGET_MACHINE" in
-	ppc64*) ;;
-	armv6*|ppc*) _need_libatomic=yes;;
-esac
-
-if [ -n "$_need_libatomic" ] ;then
+if [ "$XBPS_TARGET_NO_ATOMIC8" ]; then
 	makedepends+=" libatomic-devel"
 fi
 
 pre_configure() {
-	if [ -n "$_need_libatomic" ]; then
+	if [ "$XBPS_TARGET_NO_ATOMIC8" ]; then
 		echo "libexpr_LDFLAGS += -latomic" >> src/libexpr/local.mk
 		echo "libutil_LDFLAGS += -latomic" >> src/libutil/local.mk
 		echo "libstore_LDFLAGS += -latomic" >> src/libstore/local.mk