diff --git a/pkgs/test/build-environment-info/default.nix b/pkgs/test/build-environment-info/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f0c71d8d1eaf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/test/build-environment-info/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{ runCommand }:
+
+# Prints information about the state of the build environment for
+# assistance debugging Hydra. Feel free to add anything you would find
+# useful to this.
+runCommand "build-environment-info" { } ''
+  ulimit -a
+
+  # Always fail so that this job can easily be restarted.
+  exit 1
+''
diff --git a/pkgs/test/default.nix b/pkgs/test/default.nix
index e300672ddcac..bb910013d3ce 100644
--- a/pkgs/test/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/test/default.nix
@@ -185,4 +185,6 @@ with pkgs;
   replaceVars = recurseIntoAttrs (callPackage ./replace-vars { });
 
   substitute = recurseIntoAttrs (callPackage ./substitute { });
+
+  build-environment-info = callPackage ./build-environment-info { };
 }