diff --git a/pkgs/servers/pulseaudio/default.nix b/pkgs/servers/pulseaudio/default.nix
index 5de447da0dd8..856a22d7bb80 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/pulseaudio/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/pulseaudio/default.nix
@@ -45,9 +45,12 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ pkgconfig intltool autoreconfHook ];
 
+  propagatedBuildInputs =
+    lib.optionals stdenv.isLinux [ libcap ];
+
   buildInputs =
     [ json_c libsndfile speexdsp fftwFloat ]
-    ++ lib.optionals stdenv.isLinux [ libcap glib dbus.libs ]
+    ++ lib.optionals stdenv.isLinux [ glib dbus.libs ]
     ++ lib.optionals (!libOnly) (
       [ libasyncns webrtc-audio-processing ]
       ++ lib.optional jackaudioSupport libjack2