diff --git a/pkgs/applications/graphics/ipe/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/graphics/ipe/default.nix
index 8afa8e4389c..f2ba7c9bef3 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/graphics/ipe/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/graphics/ipe/default.nix
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   IPEPREFIX="$$out";
   URWFONTDIR="${texLive}/texmf-dist/fonts/type1/urw/";
+  LUA_PACKAGE = "lua";
 
   buildInputs = [
     pkgconfig zlib qt4 freetype cairo lua5 texLive ghostscript makeWrapper