diff --git a/pkgs/tools/package-management/nix/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/package-management/nix/default.nix
index 5929868ab72c..48970c6141cc 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/package-management/nix/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/package-management/nix/default.nix
@@ -182,6 +182,23 @@ in lib.makeExtensible (self: {
     sha256 = "sha256-hNHfvmb1bIWwqFT5nesQgwh4V0OlyZHxj5ZVSQbZ+p4=";
   };
 
+  # The minimum Nix version supported by Nixpkgs
+  # Note that some functionality *might* have been backported into this Nix version,
+  # making this package an inaccurate representation of what features are available
+  # in the actual lowest minver.nix *patch* version.
+  minimum =
+    let
+      minver = import ../../../../lib/minver.nix;
+      major = lib.versions.major minver;
+      minor = lib.versions.minor minver;
+      attribute = "nix_${major}_${minor}";
+      nix = self.${attribute};
+    in
+    if ! self ? ${attribute} then
+      throw "The minimum supported Nix version is ${minver} (declared in lib/minver.nix), but pkgs.nixVersions.${attribute} does not exist."
+    else
+      nix;
+
   stable = self.nix_2_13;
 
   unstable = self.nix_2_15;