diff --git a/pkgs/applications/editors/nano/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/editors/nano/default.nix
index 5b51f9563c3..cbb53a8f999 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/editors/nano/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/editors/nano/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 { lib, stdenv, fetchurl, fetchFromGitHub, ncurses, texinfo, writeScript
 , common-updater-scripts, git, nix, nixfmt, coreutils, gnused, callPackage
-, gettext ? null, enableNls ? true, enableTiny ? false }:
+, file ? null, gettext ? null, enableNls ? true, enableTiny ? false }:
 
 assert enableNls -> (gettext != null);
 
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   };
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ texinfo ] ++ lib.optional enableNls gettext;
-  buildInputs = [ ncurses ];
+  buildInputs = [ ncurses ] ++ lib.optional (!enableTiny) file;
 
   outputs = [ "out" "info" ];