diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
index 186d12056..c557a1507 100644
--- a/.vscode/settings.json
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -7,5 +7,6 @@
     "rust-analyzer.diagnostics.disabled": [
         "mismatched-arg-count"
     ],
-    "rust-analyzer.check.command": "clippy"
+    "rust-analyzer.check.command": "clippy",
+    "nixEnvSelector.nixFile": "${workspaceRoot}/shell.nix"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/shell.nix b/shell.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..61d4ed176
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shell.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Defines an environment for `nix-shell` for developing Fornjot on NixOS.
+#
+# This is not complete, and probably not the correct NixOS way to do it either.
+# It's just what works for me (@hannobraun) in combination with my local
+# environment. Pull requests to improve this (best coupled with thorough
+# explanations, because I understand very little about Nix/NixOS) welcome!
+
+{ pkgs ? import <nixpkgs> { } }:
+
+pkgs.mkShell {
+  packages = with pkgs; [
+    # Used as a local build tool.
+    just
+
+    # Required by dependencies.
+    openssl
+    pkg-config
+  ];
+
+  # Otherwise `export-validator` produces an error trying to link `libstdc++`.
+  LD_LIBRARY_PATH = "${pkgs.stdenv.cc.cc.lib}/lib";
+}