diff --git a/pkgs/tools/networking/dropbear/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/networking/dropbear/default.nix
index 986c9806591..836778673e1 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/networking/dropbear/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/networking/dropbear/default.nix
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   configureFlags = stdenv.lib.optional enableStatic "LDFLAGS=-static";
 
+  patches = [
+    # Allow sessions to inherit the PATH from the parent dropbear.
+    # Otherwise they only get the usual /bin:/usr/bin kind of PATH
+    ./pass-path.patch
+  ];
+
   buildInputs = [ zlib ];
 
   meta = {
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/networking/dropbear/pass-path.patch b/pkgs/tools/networking/dropbear/pass-path.patch
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d664b00de35
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/tools/networking/dropbear/pass-path.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+Allow sessions to inherit the PATH from the parent dropbear.
+
+diff --git a/svr-chansession.c b/svr-chansession.c
+index 23dad8c..9af8e55 100644
+--- a/svr-chansession.c
++++ b/svr-chansession.c
+@@ -878,7 +878,7 @@ static void execchild(void *user_data) {
+ 	addnewvar("LOGNAME", ses.authstate.pw_name);
+ 	addnewvar("HOME", ses.authstate.pw_dir);
+ 	addnewvar("SHELL", get_user_shell());
+-	addnewvar("PATH", DEFAULT_PATH);
++	addnewvar("PATH", getenv("PATH"));
+ 	if (chansess->term != NULL) {
+ 		addnewvar("TERM", chansess->term);
+ 	}