diff --git a/pkgs/applications/search/recoll/0001-no-qtgui-darwin-bundle.patch b/pkgs/applications/search/recoll/0001-no-qtgui-darwin-bundle.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1f3a71fb3c9b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/applications/search/recoll/0001-no-qtgui-darwin-bundle.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+From 9a0102fe1da038ebe08107ead991964df11b0271 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From: annalee <150648636+a-n-n-a-l-e-e@users.noreply.github.com>
+Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2024 03:31:20 +0000
+Subject: [PATCH] no qtgui darwin bundle
+
+---
+ qtgui/recoll.pro.in | 11 +++++++++--
+ 1 file changed, 9 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
+
+diff --git a/qtgui/recoll.pro.in b/qtgui/recoll.pro.in
+index a0ef314..6dbc3b5 100644
+--- a/qtgui/recoll.pro.in
++++ b/qtgui/recoll.pro.in
+@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ windows {
+   }
+ }
+ 
+-macx: {
++if (false) {
+   QCBUILDLOC=Qt_6_4_2_for_macOS
+ 
+   # QT += webkit webkitwidgets
+@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ macx: {
+   QMAKE_BUNDLE_DATA = APP_EXAMPLES APP_EXAMPLES_MAC APP_FILTERS APP_IMAGES APP_DOC
+ }
+ 
+-unix:!macx {
++unix {
+ 
+ VPATH = @srcdir@
+ 
+@@ -400,6 +400,13 @@ VPATH = @srcdir@
+   SOURCES += crontool.cpp \
+         rtitool.cpp
+ 
++  macx {
++    SOURCES += ../utils/closefrom.cpp \
++    ../utils/execmd.cpp \
++    ../utils/netcon.cpp \
++    ../utils/rclionice.cpp
++  }
++
+   FORMS  += crontool.ui \
+         rtitool.ui
+ 
+-- 
+2.43.0
+
diff --git a/pkgs/applications/search/recoll/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/search/recoll/default.nix
index 1172834ec66c..8b1dd15b4aa6 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/search/recoll/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/search/recoll/default.nix
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@ mkDerivation rec {
   patches = [
     # fix "No/bad main configuration file" error
     ./fix-datadir.patch
+    # use the same configure based build for darwin as linux
+    ./0001-no-qtgui-darwin-bundle.patch
   ];
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [
@@ -150,7 +152,6 @@ mkDerivation rec {
         substituteInPlace $f --replace /usr/bin/perl   ${lib.getBin (perl.passthru.withPackages (p: [ p.ImageExifTool ]))}/bin/perl
       fi
     done
-    wrapProgram $out/bin/recoll      --prefix PATH : "${filterPath}"
     wrapProgram $out/bin/recollindex --prefix PATH : "${filterPath}"
     wrapProgram $out/share/recoll/filters/rclaudio.py \
       --prefix PYTHONPATH : $PYTHONPATH
@@ -158,9 +159,12 @@ mkDerivation rec {
       --prefix PERL5LIB : "${with perlPackages; makeFullPerlPath [ ImageExifTool ]}"
   '' + lib.optionalString stdenv.isLinux ''
     substituteInPlace  $f --replace '"lyx"' '"${lib.getBin lyx}/bin/lyx"'
+    wrapProgram $out/bin/recoll --prefix PATH : "${filterPath}"
   '' + lib.optionalString (stdenv.isDarwin && withGui) ''
     mkdir $out/Applications
     mv $out/bin/recoll.app $out/Applications
+    wrapProgram  $out/Applications/recoll.app/Contents/MacOS/recoll --prefix PATH : "${filterPath}"
+    ln -s ../Applications/recoll.app/Contents/MacOS/recoll $out/bin/recoll
   '';
 
   enableParallelBuilding = true;