diff --git a/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc b/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc
index 35f365795..415a55d37 100644
--- a/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/build/derivation-goal.cc
@@ -679,13 +679,9 @@ void DerivationGoal::tryToBuild()
 }
 
 void DerivationGoal::tryLocalBuild() {
-    bool buildLocally = buildMode != bmNormal || parsedDrv->willBuildLocally(worker.store);
-
-    /* Make sure that we are allowed to start a build.  If this
-       derivation prefers to be done locally, do it even if
-       maxBuildJobs is 0. */
+    /* Make sure that we are allowed to start a build. */
     unsigned int curBuilds = worker.getNrLocalBuilds();
-    if (curBuilds >= settings.maxBuildJobs && !(buildLocally && curBuilds == 0)) {
+    if (curBuilds >= settings.maxBuildJobs) {
         worker.waitForBuildSlot(shared_from_this());
         outputLocks.unlock();
         return;
diff --git a/src/libstore/parsed-derivations.cc b/src/libstore/parsed-derivations.cc
index e7b7202d4..c5c3ae3dc 100644
--- a/src/libstore/parsed-derivations.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/parsed-derivations.cc
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ bool ParsedDerivation::canBuildLocally(Store & localStore) const
         && !drv.isBuiltin())
         return false;
 
+    if (settings.maxBuildJobs.get() == 0
+        && !drv.isBuiltin())
+        return false;
+
     for (auto & feature : getRequiredSystemFeatures())
         if (!localStore.systemFeatures.get().count(feature)) return false;