diff --git a/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/mcabber/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/mcabber/default.nix
index 7c5bff940848..2ca94953c4f6 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/mcabber/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/networking/instant-messengers/mcabber/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, openssl, ncurses, pkg-config, glib, loudmouth, libotr
+{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, fetchpatch, openssl, ncurses, pkg-config, glib, loudmouth, libotr
 , gpgme
 }:
 
@@ -11,6 +11,16 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     sha256 = "0q1i5acyghsmzas88qswvki8kkk2nfpr8zapgnxbcd3lwcxl38f4";
   };
 
+  patches = [
+    # Pull upstream patch for ncurses-6.3.
+    (fetchpatch {
+      name = "ncurses-6.3.patch";
+      url = "https://github.com/McKael/mcabber/commit/5a0893d69023b77b7671731defbdca5d47731130.patch";
+      sha256 = "01bc23z0mva9l9jv587sq2r9w3diachgkmb9ad99hlzgj02fmq4v";
+      stripLen = 1;
+    })
+  ];
+
   nativeBuildInputs = [ pkg-config ];
   buildInputs = [ openssl ncurses glib loudmouth libotr gpgme ];