diff --git a/nixos/tests/public-inbox.nix b/nixos/tests/public-inbox.nix
index 784ef9e3dc28..4d06d3e1738e 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/public-inbox.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/public-inbox.nix
@@ -223,5 +223,8 @@ in
     # require to use --all
     machine.succeed("curl -L https://machine.${domain}/inbox/repo1/repo1@root-1/raw | sudo -u public-inbox public-inbox-learn rm --all")
     machine.fail("curl -L https://machine.${domain}/inbox/repo1/repo1@root-1/T/#u | grep 'This is a testing mail.'")
+
+    # Compact the database
+    machine.succeed("sudo -u public-inbox public-inbox-compact --all")
   '';
 })
diff --git a/pkgs/servers/mail/public-inbox/default.nix b/pkgs/servers/mail/public-inbox/default.nix
index 02ab293c1af1..302473b975a9 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/mail/public-inbox/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/mail/public-inbox/default.nix
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ buildPerlPackage rec {
             --set NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE_${stdenv.cc.suffixSalt} -I${lib.getDev libxcrypt}/include \
             --prefix PATH : ${lib.makeBinPath [
               git
+              xapian
               /* for InlineC */
               gnumake
               stdenv.cc