diff --git a/pkgs/applications/networking/dropbox/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/networking/dropbox/default.nix
index d2924df2ce0c..9a0b718293ab 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/networking/dropbox/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/networking/dropbox/default.nix
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ in
 buildFHSEnv {
   name = "dropbox";
 
+  # dropbox-cli (i.e. nautilus-dropbox) needs the PID to confirm dropbox is running.
+  # Dropbox's internal limit-to-one-instance check also relies on the PID.
+  unsharePid = false;
+
   targetPkgs = pkgs: with pkgs; with xorg; [
     libICE libSM libX11 libXcomposite libXdamage libXext libXfixes libXrender
     libXxf86vm libxcb xkeyboardconfig