diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/pinocchio/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/pinocchio/default.nix
index 6f59dc9c69a3..bbdc73edc157 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/pinocchio/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/pinocchio/default.nix
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 , cmake
 , boost
 , eigen
+, example-robot-data
 , collisionSupport ? !stdenv.isDarwin
 , jrl-cmakemodules
 , hpp-fcl
@@ -23,6 +24,13 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     hash = "sha256-Ks5dvKi5iutjM+iovDOYGx3vsr45JWRqGOXV8+Ko4gg=";
   };
 
+  # example-robot-data models are used in checks.
+  # Upstream provide them as git submodule, but we can use our own version instead.
+  postPatch = ''
+    rmdir models/example-robot-data
+    ln -s ${example-robot-data.src} models/example-robot-data
+  '';
+
   strictDeps = true;
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [