diff --git a/pkgs/tools/system/ddrescue/1.8.nix b/pkgs/tools/system/ddrescue/1.8.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..01d1927573b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/tools/system/ddrescue/1.8.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+
+args : with args; 
+rec {
+  src = fetchurl {
+    url = http://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/ddrescue/ddrescue-1.8.tar.bz2;
+    sha256 = "080k1s4knh9baw3dxr5vqjjph6dqzkfpk0kpld0a3qc07vsxmhbz";
+  };
+
+  buildInputs = [];
+  configureFlags = [];
+
+  /* doConfigure should be specified separately */
+  phaseNames = ["doConfigure" "doMakeInstall"];
+      
+  name = "ddrescue-" + version;
+  meta = {
+    description = "GNU ddrescue - advanced dd for corrupted media";
+  };
+}
+  
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 267de4185bd..76ce4b59ce6 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -512,6 +512,9 @@ let pkgs = rec {
     inherit (gtkLibs) glib;
   };
 
+  ddrescueFun = builderDefsPackage (selectVersion ../tools/system/ddrescue "1.8") ;
+  ddrescue = ddrescueFun null;
+ 
   dnsmasq = import ../tools/networking/dnsmasq {
     # TODO i18n can be installed as well, implement it? 
     inherit fetchurl stdenv;