diff --git a/default.nix b/default.nix
--- a/default.nix
+++ b/default.nix
@@ -132,11 +132,19 @@ let
         cp configs/production.ini $out/etc
         echo "DONE: saved vcsserver production.ini into $out/etc"
 
+        echo "saving env in $out/etc/env_vars.txt"
+        touch $out/etc/env_vars.txt
+        echo "# RhodeCode build env vars" >> $out/etc/env_vars.txt
+        echo "LOCALE_ARCHIVE=\"${pkgs.glibcLocales}/lib/locale/locale-archive\"" >> $out/etc/env_vars.txt
+        echo "LC_ALL=\"en_US.UTF-8\"" >> $out/etc/env_vars.txt
+
         # python based programs need to be wrapped
         mkdir -p $out/bin
 
+        # expose python
+        ln -s ${self.python}/bin/python $out/bin/
+
         # required binaries from dependencies
-        ln -s ${self.python}/bin/python $out/bin/
         ln -s ${self.gunicorn}/bin/gunicorn $out/bin/
         ln -s ${self.pyramid}/bin/prequest $out/bin/
         ln -s ${self.pyramid}/bin/pserve $out/bin/