diff --git a/src/terralib.lua b/src/terralib.lua
index 351238d..e638c90 100644
--- a/src/terralib.lua
+++ b/src/terralib.lua
@@ -3395,6 +3395,17 @@ function terra.includecstring(code,cargs,target)
     	args:insert("-internal-isystem")
     	args:insert(path)
     end
+
+    -- NOTE(aseipp): include relevant Nix header files
+    args:insert("-isystem")
+    args:insert("@NIX_LIBC_INCLUDE@")
+
+    local nix_cflags = os.getenv('NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE')
+    if nix_cflags ~= nil then
+        for w in nix_cflags:gmatch("%S+") do
+          args:insert(w)
+        end
+    end
     
     if cargs then
         args:insertall(cargs)