diff --git a/packages/default.nix b/packages/default.nix
index 1405ec3..bcca5e4 100644
--- a/packages/default.nix
+++ b/packages/default.nix
@@ -33,4 +33,7 @@ final: prev: {
       customRC = builtins.readFile ../home/vimrc;
     };
   };
+
+  # XXX work around darwin test failures
+  direnv = prev.direnv.overrideAttrs (_: { doCheck = false; });
 }