diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 5430d3904d1..e871dabd34d 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -72,6 +72,8 @@
             buildPackages.flex
             (lib.getBin buildPackages.lowdown)
             buildPackages.mdbook
+            buildPackages.meson
+            buildPackages.ninja
             buildPackages.autoconf-archive
             buildPackages.autoreconfHook
             buildPackages.pkgconfig
@@ -618,6 +620,11 @@
               PATH=$prefix/bin:$PATH
               unset PYTHONPATH
               export MANPATH=$out/share/man:$MANPATH
+
+              # Needed for `meson` to pick up Boost.
+              # https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/86131#issuecomment-620155616
+              export BOOST_INCLUDEDIR="${stdenv.lib.getDev boost}/include";
+              export BOOST_LIBRARYDIR="${stdenv.lib.getLib boost}/lib";
             '';
         });