diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/docker/examples.nix b/pkgs/build-support/docker/examples.nix
index 29eea33a7e18..eb89a2e3c2e1 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/docker/examples.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/docker/examples.nix
@@ -117,7 +117,12 @@ rec {
       pkgs.nix
     ];
     config = {
-      Env = [ "NIX_PAGER=cat" ];
+      Env = [
+        "NIX_PAGER=cat"
+        # A user is required by nix
+        # https://github.com/NixOS/nix/blob/9348f9291e5d9e4ba3c4347ea1b235640f54fd79/src/libutil/util.cc#L478
+        "USER=nobody"
+      ];
     };
   };