diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/bobcat/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/bobcat/default.nix
index 3047cf539ceb..f1e537943f58 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/bobcat/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/bobcat/default.nix
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     patchShebangs .
   '';
 
+  # have to link to static gcc lib on aarch64-linux explicitly
+  NIX_LDFLAGS = lib.optionalString (with stdenv.targetPlatform; isAarch64 && isLinux) "-lgcc";
+
   buildPhase = ''
     ./build libraries all
     ./build man
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index e493af7aa0ac..141c8eecacaf 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -18267,7 +18267,11 @@ with pkgs;
     else callPackage ../os-specific/linux/bionic-prebuilt { };
 
 
-  bobcat = callPackage ../development/libraries/bobcat { };
+  bobcat = callPackage ../development/libraries/bobcat
+    (lib.optionalAttrs (with stdenv.hostPlatform; isAarch64 && isLinux) {
+      # C++20 is required, aarch64-linux has gcc 9 by default
+      stdenv = gcc10Stdenv;
+    });
 
   boehmgc = callPackage ../development/libraries/boehm-gc { };