NixOS · Jan 14, 2018
diff --git a/‎doc/cross-compilation.xml
+2-2 b/‎doc/cross-compilation.xml
+2-2
diff --git a/‎doc/stdenv.xml
+16-13 b/‎doc/stdenv.xml
+16-13
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
         <listitem>
           <para>
             The "target platform" attribute is, unlike the other two attributes, not actually fundamental to the process of building software.
-            Instead, it is only relevant for compatability with building certain specific compilers and build tools.
+            Instead, it is only relevant for compatibility with building certain specific compilers and build tools.
             It can be safely ignored for all other packages.
           </para>
           <para>
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@
     <para>
       A runtime dependency between 2 packages implies that between them both the host and target platforms match.
       This is directly implied by the meaning of "host platform" and "runtime dependency":
-      The package dependency exists while both packages are runnign on a single host platform.
+      The package dependency exists while both packages are running on a single host platform.
     </para>
     <para>
       A build time dependency, however, implies a shift in platforms between the depending package and the depended-on package.
 
@@ -995,13 +995,14 @@ but only if the <varname>doCheck</varname> variable is enabled.</para>
 
   <varlistentry>
     <term><varname>doCheck</varname></term>
-    <listitem><para>If set to a non-empty string, the check phase is
-    executed, otherwise it is skipped (default).  Thus you should set
-
-    <programlisting>
-doCheck = true;</programlisting>
-
-    in the derivation to enable checks.</para></listitem>
+    <listitem><para>
+      Controls whether the check phase is executed.
+      By default it is skipped, but if <varname>doCheck</varname> is set to true, the check phase is usually executed.
+      Thus you should set <programlisting>doCheck = true;</programlisting> in the derivation to enable checks.
+      The exception is cross compilation.
+      Cross compiled builds never run tests, no matter how <varname>doCheck</varname> is set,
+      as the newly-built program won't run on the platform used to build it.
+    </para></listitem>
   </varlistentry>
 
   <varlistentry>
@@ -1280,12 +1281,14 @@ installcheck</command>.</para>
 
   <varlistentry>
     <term><varname>doInstallCheck</varname></term>
-    <listitem><para>If set to a non-empty string, the installCheck phase is
-    executed, otherwise it is skipped (default).  Thus you should set
-
-    <programlisting>doInstallCheck = true;</programlisting>
-
-    in the derivation to enable install checks.</para></listitem>
+    <listitem><para>
+      Controls whether the installCheck phase is executed.
+      By default it is skipped, but if <varname>doInstallCheck</varname> is set to true, the installCheck phase is usually executed.
+      Thus you should set <programlisting>doInstallCheck = true;</programlisting> in the derivation to enable install checks.
+      The exception is cross compilation.
+      Cross compiled builds never run tests, no matter how <varname>doInstallCheck</varname> is set,
+      as the newly-built program won't run on the platform used to build it.
+    </para></listitem>
   </varlistentry>
 
   <varlistentry>