diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/avian/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/avian/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c2a2b93fc0c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/avian/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+{ stdenv, fetchFromGitHub, zlib, jdk }:
+
+stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
+  name = "avian-${version}";
+  version = "1.2.0";
+
+  src = fetchFromGitHub {
+    owner = "readytalk";
+    repo = "avian";
+    rev = "v${version}";
+    sha256 = "1j2y45cpqk3x6a743mgpg7z3ivwm7qc9jy6xirvay7ah1qyxmm48";
+  };
+
+  buildInputs = [
+    zlib
+    jdk
+  ];
+
+  installPhase = ''
+    mkdir -p $out/bin
+    cp build/*/avian $out/bin/
+    cp build/*/avian-dynamic $out/bin/
+  '';
+
+  meta = {
+    description = "Lightweight Java virtual machine";
+    longDescription = ''
+      Avian is a lightweight virtual machine and class library designed
+      to provide a useful subset of Java’s features, suitable for
+      building self-contained applications.
+    '';
+    homepage = https://readytalk.github.io/avian/;
+    license = stdenv.lib.licenses.isc;
+    platforms = stdenv.lib.platforms.all;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 65fced534a85..2a2b2c4f3fdc 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -4107,6 +4107,10 @@ in
 
   avra = callPackage ../development/compilers/avra { };
 
+  avian = callPackage ../development/compilers/avian {
+    stdenv = overrideCC stdenv gcc49;
+  };
+
   bigloo = callPackage ../development/compilers/bigloo {
     stdenv = overrideCC stdenv gcc49;
   };