diff --git a/shell.nix b/shell.nix
index 0c53b8c6..6d937fe8 100644
--- a/shell.nix
+++ b/shell.nix
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@
   }
 }:
 
+let
+  hostPlatformCheck =
+    with pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform;
+    if isMips then null
+    else abort "cross platform target must be a MIPS target";
+in
 pkgs.callPackage
   ({ mkShell
    , gnumake42