diff --git a/pkgs/tools/package-management/rpm/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/package-management/rpm/default.nix
index 3f266c11bdfbc..ff427b7e4fc94 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/package-management/rpm/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/package-management/rpm/default.nix
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@
   bubblewrap,
   autoconf,
   gnupg,
+
+  # Disable the unshare RPM plugin, which can be useful if
+  # RPM is ran within the Nix sandbox.
+  disableUnshare ? true,
 }:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
@@ -112,6 +116,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     ++ lib.optionals stdenv.hostPlatform.isDarwin [
       "-DWITH_LIBELF=OFF"
       "-DWITH_LIBDW=OFF"
+    ]
+    ++ lib.optionals disableUnshare [
+      "-DHAVE_UNSHARE=OFF"
     ];
 
   # rpm/rpmlib.h includes popt.h, and then the pkg-config file mentions these as linkage requirements