diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/physics/yoda/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/physics/yoda/default.nix
index d398080a360..46e2580bd0c 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/physics/yoda/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/physics/yoda/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchurl, python2Packages, root, makeWrapper }:
+{ stdenv, fetchurl, python2Packages, root, makeWrapper, withRootSupport ? false }:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   name = "yoda-${version}";
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   pythonPath = []; # python wrapper support
 
-  buildInputs = with python2Packages; [ python numpy matplotlib root makeWrapper ];
+  buildInputs = with python2Packages; [ python numpy matplotlib makeWrapper ]
+    ++ stdenv.lib.optional withRootSupport root;
 
   enableParallelBuilding = true;
 
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 94475d06e0b..79af89983ce 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -17698,10 +17698,10 @@ with pkgs;
 
   thepeg = callPackage ../development/libraries/physics/thepeg { };
 
-  yoda = callPackage ../development/libraries/physics/yoda {
-    root = null;
-  };
-  yoda-with-root = lowPrio (callPackage ../development/libraries/physics/yoda { });
+  yoda = callPackage ../development/libraries/physics/yoda { };
+  yoda-with-root = lowPrio (callPackage ../development/libraries/physics/yoda {
+    withRootSupport = true;
+  });
 
   ### MISC