diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/db/dbus/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/db/dbus/package.nix
index 8c0d846bc2b7..09631d16f05c 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/db/dbus/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/db/dbus/package.nix
@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
     # We will also just remove installation of empty `${runstatedir}/dbus`
     # and `${localstatedir}/lib/dbus` since these are useless in the package.
     ./meson-install-dirs.patch
+  ]
+  ++ lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin [
+    # Fixes Darwin issues like:
+    # dyld[29056]: Library not loaded: @rpath/libdbus-1.3.dylib
+    #   Referenced from: <...> /nix/store/.../bin/dbus-run-session
+    #   Reason: no LC_RPATH's found
+    ./set-install_rpath.patch
   ];
 
   strictDeps = true;
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/db/dbus/set-install_rpath.patch b/pkgs/by-name/db/dbus/set-install_rpath.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..40267e4c981a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/db/dbus/set-install_rpath.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+From 95a13025ec6fe4dd3c7a927732267e4abc4f4daf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From: Michael Daniels <mdaniels5757@gmail.com>
+Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2026 11:49:35 -0500
+Subject: [PATCH] set install_rpath for some executables
+
+Fixes Darwin issues like:
+
+dyld[29056]: Library not loaded: @rpath/libdbus-1.3.dylib
+  Referenced from: <3A452FD0-A471-30CB-A14F-FD0F818E4625> /nix/store/6ghcwk1zrkqkzvsh6i3b2dlagx7hs2d7-dbus-1.16.2/bin/dbus-run-session
+  Reason: no LC_RPATH's found
+---
+ bus/meson.build   | 2 ++
+ tools/meson.build | 2 ++
+ 2 files changed, 4 insertions(+)
+
+diff --git a/bus/meson.build b/bus/meson.build
+index 176894d6..bec64aa1 100644
+--- a/bus/meson.build
++++ b/bus/meson.build
+@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ dbus_daemon = executable('dbus-daemon',
+     include_directories: root_include,
+     link_with: libdbus_daemon_internal,
+     install: true,
++    install_rpath: get_option('libdir'),
+ )
+ 
+ 
+@@ -180,6 +181,7 @@ if platform_unix and use_traditional_activation
+         link_with: liblaunch_helper_internal,
+         install: true,
+         install_dir: get_option('libexecdir'),
++        install_rpath: get_option('libdir'),
+     )
+ endif
+ 
+diff --git a/tools/meson.build b/tools/meson.build
+index 5d78d93a..def2a716 100644
+--- a/tools/meson.build
++++ b/tools/meson.build
+@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ if message_bus
+         include_directories: root_include,
+         link_with: libdbus_internal,
+         install: true,
++        install_rpath: get_option('libdir'),
+     )
+ endif
+ 
+@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ dbus_send = executable('dbus-send',
+     include_directories: root_include,
+     link_with: libdbus,
+     install: true,
++    install_rpath: get_option('libdir'),
+ )
+ 
+ dbus_test_tool = executable('dbus-test-tool',
+-- 
+2.51.2
+