diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/check-meta.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/check-meta.nix
index 178367f6061d..4c218b24d11d 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/check-meta.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/check-meta.nix
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ let
 
   showLicenseOrSourceType = value: toString (map (v: v.shortName or "unknown") (lib.lists.toList value));
   showLicense = showLicenseOrSourceType;
+  showPlatforms = value: lib.optionalString (builtins.isList value && builtins.all builtins.isString value) (toString value);
   showSourceType = showLicenseOrSourceType;
 
   pos_str = meta: meta.position or "«unknown-file»";
@@ -368,7 +369,7 @@ let
     else if !allowBroken && attrs.meta.broken or false then
       { valid = "no"; reason = "broken"; errormsg = "is marked as broken"; }
     else if !allowUnsupportedSystem && hasUnsupportedPlatform attrs then
-      { valid = "no"; reason = "unsupported"; errormsg = "is only supported on `${toString attrs.meta.platforms}` but not on requested ‘${hostPlatform.system}’"; }
+      { valid = "no"; reason = "unsupported"; errormsg = "is only supported on `${showPlatforms attrs.meta.platforms}` but not on requested ‘${hostPlatform.system}’"; }
     else if !(hasAllowedInsecure attrs) then
       { valid = "no"; reason = "insecure"; errormsg = "is marked as insecure"; }