diff --git a/pkgs/tools/networking/openssh/builder.sh b/pkgs/tools/networking/openssh/builder.sh
index 78072d682cb..e89334f1c5a 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/networking/openssh/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/tools/networking/openssh/builder.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 source $stdenv/setup
 
+
+if test -n "$xauth"; then
+   configureFlags="--with-xauth=$xauth"
+fi
+
 installPhase() {
    make install-nokeys
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/networking/openssh/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/networking/openssh/default.nix
index 63f4c908b5b..5f53b793afd 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/networking/openssh/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/networking/openssh/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
-{stdenv, fetchurl, zlib, openssl}:
+{stdenv, fetchurl, zlib, openssl, xforwarding ? false, xauth ? null}:
+
+assert xforwarding -> xauth != null;
  
 stdenv.mkDerivation {
   name = "openssh-3.8.1p1";
@@ -9,5 +11,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     md5 = "1dbfd40ae683f822ae917eebf171ca42";
   };
  
-  buildInputs = [zlib openssl];
+  buildInputs = [zlib openssl
+  (if xforwarding then xauth else null)
+  ];
 }