diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/minimal-bootstrap/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/minimal-bootstrap/default.nix
index 5dd0860ac1f..1c286e73aa1 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/minimal-bootstrap/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/minimal-bootstrap/default.nix
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ lib.makeScope
 
     coreutils = callPackage ./coreutils { tinycc = tinycc-mes; };
 
+    diffutils = callPackage ./diffutils {
+      bash = bash_2_05;
+      gcc = gcc2;
+      glibc = glibc22;
+    };
+
     gawk = callPackage ./gawk {
       bash = bash_2_05;
       tinycc = tinycc-mes;
@@ -134,6 +140,7 @@ lib.makeScope
       echo ${binutils.tests.get-version}
       echo ${binutils-mes.tests.get-version}
       echo ${bzip2.tests.get-version}
+      echo ${diffutils.tests.get-version}
       echo ${gawk.tests.get-version}
       echo ${gcc2.tests.get-version}
       echo ${gcc2-mes.tests.get-version}
diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/minimal-bootstrap/diffutils/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/minimal-bootstrap/diffutils/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7545a52524a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/minimal-bootstrap/diffutils/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+{ lib
+, buildPlatform
+, hostPlatform
+, fetchurl
+, bash
+, gcc
+, glibc
+, binutils
+, linux-headers
+, gnumake
+, gnugrep
+, gnused
+, gawk
+, gnutar
+, gzip
+}:
+let
+  pname = "diffutils";
+  version = "2.8.1";
+
+  src = fetchurl {
+    url = "mirror://gnu/diffutils/diffutils-${version}.tar.gz";
+    sha256 = "0nizs9r76aiymzasmj1jngl7s71jfzl9xfziigcls8k9n141f065";
+  };
+in
+bash.runCommand "${pname}-${version}" {
+  inherit pname version;
+
+  nativeBuildInputs = [
+    gcc
+    binutils
+    gnumake
+    gnused
+    gnugrep
+    gawk
+    gnutar
+    gzip
+  ];
+
+  passthru.tests.get-version = result:
+    bash.runCommand "${pname}-get-version-${version}" {} ''
+      ${result}/bin/diff --version
+      mkdir $out
+    '';
+
+  meta = with lib; {
+    description = "Commands for showing the differences between files (diff, cmp, etc.)";
+    homepage = "https://www.gnu.org/software/diffutils/diffutils.html";
+    license = licenses.gpl3Only;
+    maintainers = teams.minimal-bootstrap.members;
+    platforms = platforms.unix;
+  };
+} ''
+  # Unpack
+  tar xzf ${src}
+  cd diffutils-${version}
+
+  # Configure
+  export C_INCLUDE_PATH="${glibc}/include:${linux-headers}/include"
+  export LIBRARY_PATH="${glibc}/lib"
+  export LIBS="-lc -lnss_files -lnss_dns -lresolv"
+  bash ./configure \
+    --prefix=$out \
+    --build=${buildPlatform.config} \
+    --host=${hostPlatform.config}
+
+  # Build
+  make
+
+  # Install
+  make install
+''