diff --git a/pkgs/applications/science/misc/tulip/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/science/misc/tulip/default.nix
index b55bd000ebef..02b5ad0c0458 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/science/misc/tulip/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/science/misc/tulip/default.nix
@@ -20,8 +20,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   qtWrapperArgs = [ ''--prefix PATH : ${lib.makeBinPath [ python3 ]}'' ];
 
-  # error: format string is not a string literal (potentially insecure)
-  env.NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = lib.optionalString stdenv.isDarwin "-Wno-format-security";
+  env.NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = lib.optionalString stdenv.isDarwin (toString [
+    # fatal error: 'Python.h' file not found
+    "-I${python3}/include/${python3.libPrefix}"
+    # error: format string is not a string literal (potentially insecure)
+    "-Wno-format-security"
+  ]);
 
   # FIXME: "make check" needs Docbook's DTD 4.4, among other things.
   doCheck = false;