diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-.PHONY: clean test test-clean test-only generate-pkgs pip-packages
+.PHONY: clean test test-clean test-only generate-pkgs pip-packages build-nix
 
 # set by: PATH_TO_OUTDATED_PACKAGES=/some/path/outdated_packages.py
 OUTDATED_PACKAGES = ${PATH_TO_OUTDATED_PACKAGES}
@@ -27,3 +27,6 @@ generate-pkgs:
 
 pip-packages:
 	python ${OUTDATED_PACKAGES}
+
+build-nix:
+	nix-build --show-trace --option sandbox false --option max-jobs 4 --option cores 4