diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/discourse.xml b/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/discourse.xml
index 1d6866e7b35..184c9c6363e 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/discourse.xml
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/discourse.xml
@@ -284,11 +284,22 @@ services.discourse = {
       Ruby dependencies are listed in its
       <filename>plugin.rb</filename> file as function calls to
       <literal>gem</literal>. To construct the corresponding
-      <filename>Gemfile</filename>, run <command>bundle
+      <filename>Gemfile</filename> manually, run <command>bundle
       init</command>, then add the <literal>gem</literal> lines to it
       verbatim.
     </para>
 
+    <para>
+      Much of the packaging can be done automatically by the
+      <filename>nixpkgs/pkgs/servers/web-apps/discourse/update.py</filename>
+      script - just add the plugin to the <literal>plugins</literal>
+      list in the <function>update_plugins</function> function and run
+      the script:
+      <programlisting language="bash">
+./update.py update-plugins
+</programlisting>.
+    </para>
+
     <para>
       Some plugins provide <link
       linkend="module-services-discourse-site-settings">site
diff --git a/pkgs/servers/web-apps/discourse/update.py b/pkgs/servers/web-apps/discourse/update.py
index 4832e8638ea..c77cb06e120 100755
--- a/pkgs/servers/web-apps/discourse/update.py
+++ b/pkgs/servers/web-apps/discourse/update.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import os
 import stat
 import json
 import requests
+import textwrap
 from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Iterable
@@ -77,7 +78,11 @@ def _call_nix_update(pkg, version):
 
 def _nix_eval(expr: str):
     nixpkgs_path = Path(__file__).parent / '../../../../'
-    return json.loads(subprocess.check_output(['nix', 'eval', '--json', f'(with import {nixpkgs_path} {{}}; {expr})'], text=True))
+    try:
+        output = subprocess.check_output(['nix', 'eval', '--json', f'(with import {nixpkgs_path} {{}}; {expr})'], text=True)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        return None
+    return json.loads(output)
 
 
 def _get_current_package_version(pkg: str):
@@ -206,13 +211,59 @@ def update_plugins():
         repo_name = plugin.get('repo_name') or name
 
         repo = DiscourseRepo(owner=owner, repo=repo_name)
+
+        filename = _nix_eval(f'builtins.unsafeGetAttrPos "src" discourse.plugins.{name}')
+        if filename is None:
+            filename = Path(__file__).parent / 'plugins' / name / 'default.nix'
+            filename.parent.mkdir()
+
+            has_ruby_deps = False
+            for line in repo.get_file('plugin.rb', repo.latest_commit_sha).splitlines():
+                if 'gem ' in line:
+                    has_ruby_deps = True
+                    break
+
+            with open(filename, 'w') as f:
+                f.write(textwrap.dedent(f"""
+                         {{ lib, mkDiscoursePlugin, fetchFromGitHub }}:
+
+                         mkDiscoursePlugin {{
+                           name = "{name}";"""[1:] + ("""
+                           bundlerEnvArgs.gemdir = ./.;""" if has_ruby_deps else "") + f"""
+                           src = {fetcher} {{
+                             owner = "{owner}";
+                             repo = "{repo_name}";
+                             rev = "replace-with-git-rev";
+                             sha256 = "replace-with-sha256";
+                           }};
+                           meta = with lib; {{
+                             homepage = "";
+                             maintainers = with maintainers; [ ];
+                             license = licenses.mit; # change to the correct license!
+                             description = "";
+                           }};
+                         }}"""))
+
+            all_plugins_filename = Path(__file__).parent / 'plugins' / 'all-plugins.nix'
+            with open(all_plugins_filename, 'r+') as f:
+                content = f.read()
+                pos = -1
+                while content[pos] != '}':
+                    pos -= 1
+                content = content[:pos] + f'  {name} = callPackage ./{name} {{}};' + os.linesep + content[pos:]
+                f.seek(0)
+                f.write(content)
+                f.truncate()
+
+        else:
+            filename = filename['file']
+
         prev_commit_sha = _nix_eval(f'discourse.plugins.{name}.src.rev')
 
         if prev_commit_sha == repo.latest_commit_sha:
             click.echo(f'Plugin {name} is already at the latest revision')
             continue
 
-        filename = _nix_eval(f'builtins.unsafeGetAttrPos "src" discourse.plugins.{name}')['file']
         prev_hash = _nix_eval(f'discourse.plugins.{name}.src.outputHash')
         new_hash = subprocess.check_output([
             'nix-universal-prefetch', fetcher,