diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nftables/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nftables/default.nix
index 070a26000260..c60be5f264bd 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nftables/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nftables/default.nix
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
   iptables,
   nixosTests,
   gitUpdater,
+  ncurses,
 }:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     docbook_xsl
     findXMLCatalogs
     libxslt
-  ];
+  ]
+  ++ lib.optional stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic ncurses;
 
   buildInputs = [
     libmnl
@@ -64,6 +66,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   ++ lib.optional withCli libedit
   ++ lib.optional withXtables iptables;
 
+  env.NIX_LDFLAGS = if stdenv.hostPlatform.isStatic then "-lncursesw" else null;
+
   configureFlags = [
     "--with-json"
     (lib.withFeatureAs withCli "cli" "editline")