diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 21933c5da..cf2259f70 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -53,9 +53,6 @@ image/config.mk
 # Python
 __pycache__/
 
-# Nix shells
-shell.nix
-
 # Gitpod
 .gitpod.yml
 
diff --git a/shell.nix b/shell.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d9f9b7193
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shell.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{pkgs ? import <nixpkgs> {}}:
+(pkgs.buildFHSUserEnv {
+  name = "bazel";
+  targetPkgs = pkgs: [
+    pkgs.bazel_6
+    pkgs.glibc
+    pkgs.gcc
+    pkgs.jdk11 # TODO(katexochen): investigate why our build chain doesn't work on NixOS
+  ];
+})
+.env