diff --git a/pkgs/tools/graphics/mscgen/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/graphics/mscgen/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..63e6afaa803
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/tools/graphics/mscgen/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+{ stdenv, fetchurl, flex, bison, gd, libpng, freetype, zlib }:
+
+let
+  version = "0.20";
+in
+stdenv.mkDerivation {
+  name = "mscgen-${version}";
+
+  src = fetchurl {
+    url = "www.mcternan.me.uk/mscgen/software/mscgen-src-${version}.tar.gz";
+    sha256 = "3c3481ae0599e1c2d30b7ed54ab45249127533ab2f20e768a0ae58d8551ddc23";
+  };
+
+  buildInputs = [ flex bison gd libpng freetype zlib ];
+
+  doCheck = true;
+  preCheck = ''
+    sed -i -e "s|#!/bin/bash|#!${stdenv.shell}|" test/renderercheck.sh
+  '';
+
+  meta = {
+    homepage = "http://www.mcternan.me.uk/mscgen/";
+    description = "convert Message Sequence Chart descriptions into PNG, SVG, or EPS images";
+    license = "GPLv2";
+
+    longDescription = ''
+      Mscgen is a small program that parses Message Sequence Chart
+      descriptions and produces PNG, SVG, EPS or server side image maps
+      (ismaps) as the output. Message Sequence Charts (MSCs) are a way
+      of representing entities and interactions over some time period
+      and are often used in combination with SDL. MSCs are popular in
+      Telecoms to specify how protocols operate although MSCs need not
+      be complicated to create or use. Mscgen aims to provide a simple
+      text language that is clear to create, edit and understand, which
+      can also be transformed into common image formats for display or
+      printing.
+    '';
+
+    platforms = stdenv.lib.platforms.linux;
+    maintainers = [ stdenv.lib.maintainers.simons ];
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 490e7cbf879..24147b4f2eb 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -969,6 +969,8 @@ let
 
   mpage = callPackage ../tools/text/mpage { };
 
+  mscgen = callPackage ../tools/graphics/mscgen { };
+
   msf = builderDefsPackage (import ../tools/security/metasploit/3.1.nix) {
     inherit ruby makeWrapper;
   };