diff --git a/srcpkgs/diction/template b/srcpkgs/diction/template
index d9f349e5c4..0a141dffb5 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/diction/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/diction/template
@@ -9,5 +9,12 @@ license="GPL-3"
 homepage="https://www.gnu.org/software/diction/diction.html"
 distfiles="${GNU_SITE}/$pkgname/$pkgname-$version.tar.gz"
 checksum=35c2f1bf8ddf0d5fa9f737ffc8e55230736e5d850ff40b57fdf5ef1d7aa024f6
-# Autoconf AC_TRY_RUN check prevents cross compile
-nocross=yes
+
+if [ -n "$CROSS_BUILD" ]; then
+	pre_configure() {
+		# cannot check for broken realloc when cross compiling
+		# but we know from native build that it’s not broken
+		# so remove the check (default is not broken)
+		sed -i -e "/checking for broken realloc/,/USE_NLS=no/ {/USE_NLS=no/!d}" configure
+	}
+fi