diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/boot.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/boot.nix
index 02cb9866739c..254a9fb855a0 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/boot.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/ghc/boot.nix
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
   # The binaries for Darwin use frameworks, so fake those frameworks,
   # and create some wrapper scripts that set DYLD_FRAMEWORK_PATH so
   # that the executables work with no special setup.
-  postInstall = (if stdenv.isDarwin then ''
+  postInstall = if stdenv.isDarwin then "
 
     ensureDir $out/frameworks/GMP.framework/Versions/A
     ln -s ${gmp}/lib/libgmp.dylib $out/frameworks/GMP.framework/GMP
@@ -50,20 +50,11 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     mv $out/bin $out/bin-orig
     mkdir $out/bin
     for i in $(cd $out/bin-orig && ls); do
-        echo "#! $SHELL -e" >> $out/bin/$i
-        echo "DYLD_FRAMEWORK_PATH=$out/frameworks exec $out/bin-orig/$i -framework-path $out/frameworks \"\$@\"" >> $out/bin/$i
+        echo \"#! $SHELL -e\" >> $out/bin/$i
+        echo \"DYLD_FRAMEWORK_PATH=$out/frameworks exec $out/bin-orig/$i -framework-path $out/frameworks \\\"\\$@\\\"\" >> $out/bin/$i
         chmod +x $out/bin/$i
     done
 
-  '' else "") + ''
-
-    # Hack for Perl 5.10 compatibility ($* no longer works).
-    substituteInPlace $out/lib/*/ghc-asm --replace 'local($*) = 1;' '
-      BEGIN {
-        require overload; overload::constant( qr => sub { "(?m:$_[1])" } );
-      }
-    '
-  
-  '';
+  " else "";
 
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/builder.sh b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.10/builder.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/builder.sh
rename to pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.10/builder.sh
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.10/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.10/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cb479c97be20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.10/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{stdenv, fetchurl}:
+
+stdenv.mkDerivation {
+  name = "perl-5.10.0";
+
+  builder = ./builder.sh;
+  src = fetchurl {
+    url = mirror://cpan/src/perl-5.10.0.tar.gz;
+    sha256 = "0bivbz15x02m02gqs6hs77cgjr2msfrhnvp5xqk359jg6w6llill";
+  };
+
+  patches = [
+    # This patch does the following:
+    # 1) Do use the PATH environment variable to find the `pwd' command.
+    #    By default, Perl will only look for it in /lib and /usr/lib.
+    #    !!! what are the security implications of this?
+    # 2) Force the use of <errno.h>, not /usr/include/errno.h, on Linux
+    #    systems.  (This actually appears to be due to a bug in Perl.)
+    ./no-sys-dirs.patch
+  ];
+
+  setupHook = ./setup-hook.sh;
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/no-sys-dirs.patch b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.10/no-sys-dirs.patch
similarity index 100%
rename from pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/no-sys-dirs.patch
rename to pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.10/no-sys-dirs.patch
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/setup-hook.sh b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.10/setup-hook.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/setup-hook.sh
rename to pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.10/setup-hook.sh
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/builder.sh b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/builder.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8e008cb4c637
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/builder.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+source $stdenv/setup
+
+if test "$NIX_ENFORCE_PURITY" = "1"; then
+    GLIBC=$(cat $NIX_GCC/nix-support/orig-libc)
+    extraflags="-Dlocincpth=$GLIBC/include -Dloclibpth=$GLIBC/lib"
+fi
+
+configureScript=./Configure
+configureFlags="-de -Dcc=gcc -Dprefix=$out -Dman1dir=$out/share/man/man1 -Dman3dir=$out/share/man/man3 -Uinstallusrbinperl $extraflags"
+dontAddPrefix=1
+
+preBuild=preBuild
+preBuild() {
+    # Make Cwd work on NixOS (where we don't have a /bin/pwd).
+    substituteInPlace lib/Cwd.pm --replace "'/bin/pwd'" "'$(type -tP pwd)'"
+}
+
+postInstall=postInstall
+postInstall() {
+    ensureDir "$out/nix-support"
+    cp $setupHook $out/nix-support/setup-hook
+}
+
+genericBuild
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/default.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/default.nix
similarity index 100%
rename from pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/default.nix
rename to pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/default.nix
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/gcc-4.2.patch b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/gcc-4.2.patch
similarity index 100%
rename from pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/gcc-4.2.patch
rename to pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/gcc-4.2.patch
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/no-sys-dirs.patch b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/no-sys-dirs.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..0b1164a32509
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/no-sys-dirs.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
+diff -rc perl-5.10.0-orig/Configure perl-5.10.0/Configure
+*** perl-5.10.0-orig/Configure	2007-12-18 11:47:07.000000000 +0100
+--- perl-5.10.0/Configure	2008-02-21 17:00:40.000000000 +0100
+***************
+*** 104,118 ****
+  fi
+  
+  : Proper PATH setting
+! paths='/bin /usr/bin /usr/local/bin /usr/ucb /usr/local /usr/lbin'
+! paths="$paths /opt/bin /opt/local/bin /opt/local /opt/lbin"
+! paths="$paths /usr/5bin /etc /usr/gnu/bin /usr/new /usr/new/bin /usr/nbin"
+! paths="$paths /opt/gnu/bin /opt/new /opt/new/bin /opt/nbin"
+! paths="$paths /sys5.3/bin /sys5.3/usr/bin /bsd4.3/bin /bsd4.3/usr/ucb"
+! paths="$paths /bsd4.3/usr/bin /usr/bsd /bsd43/bin /opt/ansic/bin /usr/ccs/bin"
+! paths="$paths /etc /usr/lib /usr/ucblib /lib /usr/ccs/lib"
+! paths="$paths /sbin /usr/sbin /usr/libexec"
+! paths="$paths /system/gnu_library/bin"
+  
+  for p in $paths
+  do
+--- 104,110 ----
+  fi
+  
+  : Proper PATH setting
+! paths=''
+  
+  for p in $paths
+  do
+***************
+*** 1271,1287 ****
+  groupstype=''
+  libnames=''
+  : change the next line if compiling for Xenix/286 on Xenix/386
+! xlibpth='/usr/lib/386 /lib/386'
+  : Possible local library directories to search.
+! loclibpth="/usr/local/lib /opt/local/lib /usr/gnu/lib"
+! loclibpth="$loclibpth /opt/gnu/lib /usr/GNU/lib /opt/GNU/lib"
+  
+  : general looking path for locating libraries
+! glibpth="/lib /usr/lib $xlibpth"
+! glibpth="$glibpth /usr/ccs/lib /usr/ucblib /usr/local/lib"
+! test -f /usr/shlib/libc.so && glibpth="/usr/shlib $glibpth"
+! test -f /shlib/libc.so     && glibpth="/shlib $glibpth"
+! test -d /usr/lib64         && glibpth="$glibpth /lib64 /usr/lib64 /usr/local/lib64"
+  
+  : Private path used by Configure to find libraries.  Its value
+  : is prepended to libpth. This variable takes care of special
+--- 1263,1274 ----
+  groupstype=''
+  libnames=''
+  : change the next line if compiling for Xenix/286 on Xenix/386
+! xlibpth=''
+  : Possible local library directories to search.
+! loclibpth=""
+  
+  : general looking path for locating libraries
+! glibpth=""
+  
+  : Private path used by Configure to find libraries.  Its value
+  : is prepended to libpth. This variable takes care of special
+***************
+*** 1302,1309 ****
+  
+  : Possible local include directories to search.
+  : Set locincpth to "" in a hint file to defeat local include searches.
+! locincpth="/usr/local/include /opt/local/include /usr/gnu/include"
+! locincpth="$locincpth /opt/gnu/include /usr/GNU/include /opt/GNU/include"
+  :
+  : no include file wanted by default
+  inclwanted=''
+--- 1289,1295 ----
+  
+  : Possible local include directories to search.
+  : Set locincpth to "" in a hint file to defeat local include searches.
+! locincpth=""
+  :
+  : no include file wanted by default
+  inclwanted=''
+***************
+*** 1331,1338 ****
+  libswanted="$libswanted m crypt sec util c cposix posix ucb bsd BSD"
+  : We probably want to search /usr/shlib before most other libraries.
+  : This is only used by the lib/ExtUtils/MakeMaker.pm routine extliblist.
+- glibpth=`echo " $glibpth " | sed -e 's! /usr/shlib ! !'`
+- glibpth="/usr/shlib $glibpth"
+  : Do not use vfork unless overridden by a hint file.
+  usevfork=false
+  
+--- 1317,1322 ----
+***************
+*** 2340,2346 ****
+  zip
+  "
+  pth=`echo $PATH | sed -e "s/$p_/ /g"`
+- pth="$pth /lib /usr/lib"
+  for file in $loclist; do
+  	eval xxx=\$$file
+  	case "$xxx" in
+--- 2324,2329 ----
+***************
+*** 8155,8167 ****
+  echo " "
+  case "$sysman" in
+  '') 
+! 	syspath='/usr/share/man/man1 /usr/man/man1'
+! 	syspath="$syspath /usr/man/mann /usr/man/manl /usr/man/local/man1"
+! 	syspath="$syspath /usr/man/u_man/man1"
+! 	syspath="$syspath /usr/catman/u_man/man1 /usr/man/l_man/man1"
+! 	syspath="$syspath /usr/local/man/u_man/man1 /usr/local/man/l_man/man1"
+! 	syspath="$syspath /usr/man/man.L /local/man/man1 /usr/local/man/man1"
+! 	sysman=`./loc . /usr/man/man1 $syspath`
+  	;;
+  esac
+  if $test -d "$sysman"; then
+--- 8138,8145 ----
+  echo " "
+  case "$sysman" in
+  '') 
+! 	syspath=''
+! 	sysman=''
+  	;;
+  esac
+  if $test -d "$sysman"; then
+***************
+*** 19005,19013 ****
+  case "$full_ar" in
+  '') full_ar=$ar ;;
+  esac
+  
+  : Store the full pathname to the sed program for use in the C program
+! full_sed=$sed
+  
+  : see what type gids are declared as in the kernel
+  echo " "
+--- 18983,18992 ----
+  case "$full_ar" in
+  '') full_ar=$ar ;;
+  esac
++ full_ar=ar
+  
+  : Store the full pathname to the sed program for use in the C program
+! full_sed=sed
+  
+  : see what type gids are declared as in the kernel
+  echo " "
+diff -rc perl-5.10.0-orig/ext/Errno/Errno_pm.PL perl-5.10.0/ext/Errno/Errno_pm.PL
+*** perl-5.10.0-orig/ext/Errno/Errno_pm.PL	2007-12-18 11:47:07.000000000 +0100
+--- perl-5.10.0/ext/Errno/Errno_pm.PL	2008-02-21 17:00:02.000000000 +0100
+***************
+*** 140,150 ****
+  	if ($dep =~ /(\S+errno\.h)/) {
+  	     $file{$1} = 1;
+  	}
+!     } elsif ($^O eq 'linux' &&
+! 	      $Config{gccversion} ne '' && 
+! 	      $Config{gccversion} !~ /intel/i
+! 	      # might be using, say, Intel's icc
+! 	     ) {
+  	# Some Linuxes have weird errno.hs which generate
+  	# no #file or #line directives
+  	my $linux_errno_h = -e '/usr/include/errno.h' ?
+--- 140,146 ----
+  	if ($dep =~ /(\S+errno\.h)/) {
+  	     $file{$1} = 1;
+  	}
+!     } elsif (0) {
+  	# Some Linuxes have weird errno.hs which generate
+  	# no #file or #line directives
+  	my $linux_errno_h = -e '/usr/include/errno.h' ?
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/setup-hook.sh b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/setup-hook.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..70ce2cf8b463
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl-5.8/setup-hook.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+addPerlLibPath () {
+    addToSearchPath PERL5LIB /lib/site_perl "" $1
+}
+
+envHooks=(${envHooks[@]} addPerlLibPath)
diff --git a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/perl-5.10.nix b/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/perl-5.10.nix
deleted file mode 100644
index 01f314c19a4d..000000000000
--- a/pkgs/development/interpreters/perl/perl-5.10.nix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-{stdenv, fetchurl}:
-
-stdenv.mkDerivation {
-  name = "perl-5.10.0";
-
-  builder = ./builder.sh;
-  src = fetchurl {
-    url = http://www.cpan.org/src/perl-5.10.0.tar.gz;
-    sha256 = "0bivbz15x02m02gqs6hs77cgjr2msfrhnvp5xqk359jg6w6llill";
-  };
-
-  # This patch does the following:
-  # 1) Do use the PATH environment variable to find the `pwd' command.
-  #    By default, Perl will only look for it in /lib and /usr/lib.
-  #    !!! what are the security implications of this?
-  # 2) Force the use of <errno.h>, not /usr/include/errno.h, on Linux
-  #    systems.  (This actually appears to be due to a bug in Perl.)
-  patches = [./no-sys-dirs.patch];
-
-  setupHook = ./setup-hook.sh;
-}
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 3b5b42aff76b..2a76e3285f4f 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -1396,8 +1396,9 @@ rec {
   };
 
   ghcboot = lowPrio (appendToName "boot" (import ../development/compilers/ghc/boot.nix {
-    inherit fetchurl stdenv perl ncurses gmp;
+    inherit fetchurl stdenv ncurses gmp;
     readline = if stdenv.system == "i686-linux" then readline4 else readline;
+    perl = perl58;
   }));
 
   /*
@@ -1625,6 +1626,10 @@ rec {
 
   perl = if !stdenv.isLinux then sysPerl else realPerl;
 
+  perl58 = import ../development/interpreters/perl-5.8 {
+    inherit fetchurl stdenv;
+  };
+
   # FIXME: unixODBC needs patching on Darwin (see darwinports)
   phpOld = import ../development/interpreters/php {
     inherit stdenv fetchurl flex bison libxml2 apacheHttpd;
@@ -1666,7 +1671,7 @@ rec {
 
   Qi = QiFun null;
 
-  realPerl = import ../development/interpreters/perl {
+  realPerl = import ../development/interpreters/perl-5.10 {
     inherit fetchurl stdenv;
   };