diff --git a/api/shell.nix b/api/shell.nix
index c45fb2b9..36ee641a 100644
--- a/api/shell.nix
+++ b/api/shell.nix
@@ -13,4 +13,7 @@ pkgs.mkShell {
   ];
 
   SHARP_FORCE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS = 1;
+  shellHook = ''
+    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${pkgs.stdenv.cc.cc.lib}/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+  '';
 }
diff --git a/shell.nix b/shell.nix
index 7958fce3..5aee2970 100644
--- a/shell.nix
+++ b/shell.nix
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ pkgs.mkShell {
 
   # env vars aren't inherited from the `inputsFrom`
   SHARP_FORCE_GLOBAL_LIBVIPS = 1;
+  shellHook = ''
+    export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=${pkgs.stdenv.cc.cc.lib}/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
+  '';
   UV_PYTHON_PREFERENCE = "only-system";
   UV_PYTHON = pkgs.python313;
 }