diff --git a/pkgs/applications/video/vlc/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/video/vlc/default.nix
index 3df447fad626..de2615d8334c 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/video/vlc/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/video/vlc/default.nix
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     [ "--enable-alsa"
       "--with-kde-solid=$out/share/apps/solid/actions"
       "--enable-dc1394"
+      "--enable-ncurses"
     ];
 
   preConfigure = ''sed -e "s@/bin/echo@echo@g" -i configure'';