diff --git a/gnu/packages/acl.scm b/gnu/packages/acl.scm
index 14579e9ea9..54c9116baf 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/acl.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/acl.scm
@@ -45,18 +45,30 @@ (define-public acl
         'configure 'patch-makefile-SHELL
         (lambda _
           (patch-makefile-SHELL "include/buildmacros"))
-        (alist-replace
-         'check
-         (lambda _
-           (system* "make" "tests" "-C" "test")
+        ,(if (%current-target-system)
+             '%standard-cross-phases
+             '(alist-replace 'check
+                             (lambda _
+                               (system* "make" "tests" "-C" "test")
 
-           ;; XXX: Ignore the test result since this is
-           ;; dependent on the underlying file system.
-           #t)
-         %standard-phases))))
+                               ;; XXX: Ignore the test result since this is
+                               ;; dependent on the underlying file system.
+                               #t)
+                             %standard-phases)))))
     (inputs `(("attr" ,attr)
-              ("gettext" ,guix:gettext)
-              ("perl" ,perl)))
+
+              ;; Perl is needed to run tests; remove it from cross builds.
+              ,@(if (%current-target-system)
+                    '()
+                    `(("gettext" ,guix:gettext)
+                      ("perl" ,perl)))))
+    (native-inputs
+     ;; FIXME: Upon next core-updates, make gettext a native input
+     ;; unconditionally.
+     (if (%current-target-system)
+         `(("gettext" ,guix:gettext))
+         '()))
+
     (home-page
      "http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/acl")
     (synopsis
diff --git a/gnu/packages/attr.scm b/gnu/packages/attr.scm
index 254792f4ed..3fb15d235f 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/attr.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/attr.scm
@@ -52,26 +52,37 @@ (define-public attr
                            "install"
                            "install-lib"
                            "install-dev")))
-         (alist-replace
-          'check
-          (lambda _
-            ;; Use the right shell.
-            (substitute* "test/run"
-              (("/bin/sh")
-               (which "bash")))
 
-            (system* "make" "tests" "-C" "test")
+         ;; When building natively, adjust the test cases.
+         ,(if (%current-target-system)
+              '%standard-cross-phases
+              '(alist-replace 'check
+                              (lambda _
+                                ;; Use the right shell.
+                                (substitute* "test/run"
+                                  (("/bin/sh")
+                                   (which "bash")))
 
-            ;; XXX: Ignore the test result since this is dependent on the
-            ;; underlying file system.
-            #t)
-          %standard-phases)))))
-    (inputs `(("perl" ,perl)
-              ("gettext" ,guix:gettext)))
-    (home-page
-     "http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/attr/")
-    (synopsis
-     "Library and tools for manipulating extended attributes")
+                                (system* "make" "tests" "-C" "test")
+
+                                ;; XXX: Ignore the test result since this is
+                                ;; dependent on the underlying file system.
+                                #t)
+                              %standard-phases))))))
+    (inputs `(;; Perl is needed to run tests; remove it from cross builds.
+              ,@(if (%current-target-system)
+                    '()
+                    `(("perl" ,perl)
+                      ("gettext" ,guix:gettext)))))
+    (native-inputs
+     ;; FIXME: Upon next core-updates, make gettext a native input
+     ;; unconditionally.
+     (if (%current-target-system)
+         `(("gettext" ,guix:gettext))
+         '()))
+
+    (home-page "http://savannah.nongnu.org/projects/attr/")
+    (synopsis "Library and tools for manipulating extended attributes")
     (description
      "Portable library and tools for manipulating extended attributes.")
     (license (list gpl2+ lgpl2.1+))))
diff --git a/gnu/packages/gettext.scm b/gnu/packages/gettext.scm
index 29ea54924a..e22b1ba6ff 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/gettext.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/gettext.scm
@@ -38,19 +38,22 @@ (define-public gettext
     (build-system gnu-build-system)
     (arguments
      `(#:patches (list (assoc-ref %build-inputs "patch/gets"))
-       #:phases (alist-cons-before
-                 'check 'patch-tests
-                 (lambda* (#:key inputs #:allow-other-keys)
-                   (let ((bash (assoc-ref inputs "bash")))
-                     (substitute* (find-files "gettext-tools/tests"
-                                              "^msgexec-[0-9]")
-                       (("#![[:blank:]]/bin/sh")
-                        (format #f "#!~a/bin/sh" bash)))
-                     (substitute* (find-files "gettext-tools/gnulib-tests"
-                                              "posix_spawn")
-                       (("/bin/sh")
-                        (format #f "~a/bin/bash" bash)))))
-                 %standard-phases)))
+       #:phases ,(if (%current-target-system)
+                     '%standard-cross-phases
+                     '(alist-cons-before
+                       'check 'patch-tests
+                       (lambda* (#:key inputs #:allow-other-keys)
+                         ;; TODO: Use (which "sh").
+                         (let ((bash (assoc-ref inputs "bash")))
+                           (substitute* (find-files "gettext-tools/tests"
+                                                    "^msgexec-[0-9]")
+                             (("#![[:blank:]]/bin/sh")
+                              (format #f "#!~a/bin/sh" bash)))
+                           (substitute* (find-files "gettext-tools/gnulib-tests"
+                                                    "posix_spawn")
+                             (("/bin/sh")
+                              (format #f "~a/bin/bash" bash)))))
+                       %standard-phases))))
     (inputs
      `(("patch/gets"
         ,(search-patch "gettext-gets-undeclared.patch"))))