diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/ocaml-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/ocaml-packages.nix
index 8df53e50987..3879778cb98 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/ocaml-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/ocaml-packages.nix
@@ -192,7 +192,9 @@ let
       then callPackage ../development/ocaml-modules/csv { }
       else callPackage ../development/ocaml-modules/csv/1.5.nix { };
 
-    curses = callPackage ../development/ocaml-modules/curses { };
+    curses = callPackage ../development/ocaml-modules/curses {
+      ncurses = pkgs.ncurses5;
+    };
 
     custom_printf = callPackage ../development/ocaml-modules/custom_printf { };