diff --git a/pkgs/applications/virtualization/virt-manager/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/virtualization/virt-manager/default.nix
index d0e27055887..c7d86ad9fd6 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/virtualization/virt-manager/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/virtualization/virt-manager/default.nix
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 , gobjectIntrospection, libvirt-glib, system-libvirt
 , gsettings-desktop-schemas, glib, libosinfo, gnome3, gtk3
 , spiceSupport ? true, spice-gtk ? null
+, cpio, e2fsprogs, findutils, gzip
 }:
 
 with stdenv.lib;
@@ -47,6 +48,8 @@ python2Packages.buildPythonApplication rec {
 
   preFixup = ''
     gappsWrapperArgs+=(--set PYTHONPATH "$PYTHONPATH")
+    # these are called from virt-install in initrdinject.py
+    gappsWrapperArgs+=(--prefix PATH : "${makeBinPath [ cpio e2fsprogs file findutils gzip ]}")
   '';
 
   # Failed tests