diff --git a/pkgs/applications/science/spyder/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/science/spyder/default.nix
index 772a25ed4a1a..6c0125e4b850 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/science/spyder/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/science/spyder/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-{ stdenv, fetchurl, buildPythonPackage, unzip, sphinx, pyside }:
+{ stdenv, fetchurl, unzip, buildPythonPackage, makeDesktopItem
+# mandatory
+, pyside
+# recommended
+, pyflakes ? null, rope ? null, sphinx ? null, numpy ? null, scipy ? null, matplotlib ? null
+# optional
+, ipython ? null, pylint ? null, pep8 ? null
+}:
 
 buildPythonPackage rec {
   name = "spyder-2.1.13.1";
@@ -9,12 +16,32 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
     sha256 = "1sg88shvw6k2v5428k13mah4pyqng43856rzr6ypz5qgwn0677ya";
   };
 
-  buildInputs = [ unzip sphinx ];
-  propagatedBuildInputs = [ pyside ];
+  buildInputs = [ unzip ];
+  propagatedBuildInputs =
+    [ pyside pyflakes rope sphinx numpy scipy matplotlib ipython pylint pep8 ];
 
   # There is no test for spyder
   doCheck = false;
 
+  desktopItem = makeDesktopItem {
+    name = "Spyder";
+    exec = "spyder";
+    icon = "spyder";
+    comment = "Scientific Python Development Environment";
+    desktopName = "Spyder";
+    genericName = "Python IDE";
+    categories = "Application;Development;Editor;IDE;";
+  };
+
+  # Create desktop item
+  postInstall = ''
+    mkdir -p $out/share/applications
+    cp $desktopItem/share/applications/* $out/share/applications/
+
+    mkdir -p $out/share/icons
+    cp spyderlib/images/spyder.svg $out/share/icons/
+  '';
+
   meta = {
     description = "Scientific PYthon Development EnviRonment (SPYDER)";
     longDescription = ''
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 6948ecb87733..5215a941cdbc 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -8723,7 +8723,8 @@ let
   gravit = callPackage ../applications/science/astronomy/gravit { };
 
   spyder = callPackage ../applications/science/spyder {
-    inherit (pythonPackages) sphinx;
+    inherit (pythonPackages) pyflakes rope sphinx numpy scipy matplotlib; # recommended
+    inherit (pythonPackages) ipython pylint pep8; # optional
   };
 
   stellarium = callPackage ../applications/science/astronomy/stellarium { };