diff --git a/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/pidgin/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/pidgin/default.nix
index 65b9c245a38..edbc28f793b 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/pidgin/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/pidgin/default.nix
@@ -29,11 +29,13 @@ let unwrapped = stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = "-I${gst_all_1.gst-plugins-base.dev}/include/gstreamer-1.0";
 
-  buildInputs = [
+  buildInputs = let
+    python-with-dbus = python.withPackages (pp: with pp; [ dbus-python ]);
+  in [
     aspell startupnotification
     gst_all_1.gstreamer gst_all_1.gst-plugins-base gst_all_1.gst-plugins-good
     libxml2 nss nspr
-    libXScrnSaver ncurses python
+    libXScrnSaver ncurses python-with-dbus
     avahi dbus dbus-glib intltool libidn
     libICE libXext libSM cyrus_sasl
   ]
@@ -72,6 +74,15 @@ let unwrapped = stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
       --prefix GST_PLUGIN_SYSTEM_PATH_1_0 : "$GST_PLUGIN_SYSTEM_PATH_1_0"
   '';
 
+  doInstallCheck = stdenv.hostPlatform == stdenv.buildPlatform;
+  # In particular, this detects missing python imports in some of the tools.
+  postInstallCheck = ''
+    for f in "''${!outputBin}"/bin/{purple-remote,pidgin}; do
+      echo "Testing: $f --help"
+      "$f" --help
+    done
+  '';
+
   meta = with lib; {
     description = "Multi-protocol instant messaging client";
     homepage = "http://pidgin.im";