diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/ki/kicad/base.nix b/pkgs/by-name/ki/kicad/base.nix
index 55976ff0e8c9..c43b90c1face 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/ki/kicad/base.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/ki/kicad/base.nix
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
   debug,
   sanitizeAddress,
   sanitizeThreads,
+  templateDir ? null,
 }:
 
 assert lib.assertMsg (
@@ -207,6 +208,14 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
 
   dontStrip = debug;
 
+  # KiCad looks for the stock library tables at
+  # KICAD_LIBRARY_DATA/template/{sym,fp}-lib-table, where KICAD_LIBRARY_DATA is
+  # compiled in as $out/share/kicad. Those files live in separate library packages.
+  postInstall = optionalString (templateDir != null) ''
+    rm -rf $out/share/kicad/template
+    ln -s ${templateDir} $out/share/kicad/template
+  '';
+
   meta = {
     description = "Just the built source without the libraries";
     longDescription = ''
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/ki/kicad/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/ki/kicad/package.nix
index 17375461d17d..9fc7856da47f 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/ki/kicad/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/ki/kicad/package.nix
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     inherit wxGTK python wxPython;
     inherit withNgspice withScripting withI18n;
     inherit debug sanitizeAddress sanitizeThreads;
+    templateDir = template_dir;
   };
 
   inherit pname;