diff --git a/pkgs/applications/emulators/zsnes/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/emulators/zsnes/default.nix
index 956604cd6cc6241..b9dd0f77a4ff48e 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/emulators/zsnes/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/emulators/zsnes/default.nix
@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation {
 
   # Workaround build failure on -fno-common toolchains:
   #   ld: initc.o:(.bss+0x28): multiple definition of `HacksDisable'; cfg.o:(.bss+0x59e3): first defined here
-  NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = "-fcommon";
+  # Use pre-c++17 standard (c++17 forbids throw annotations)
+  NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = "-fcommon -std=c++14";
 
   preConfigure = ''
     cd src