diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/sqlite/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/sqlite/default.nix
index b34e2f648ecd..f38e48c87c2e 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/sqlite/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/sqlite/default.nix
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
 
   buildInputs = lib.optionals interactive [ readline ncurses ];
 
-  configureFlags = [ "--enable-threadsafe" ];
+  configureFlags = [ "--enable-threadsafe" ] ++ lib.optional interactive "--enable-readline";
 
   NIX_CFLAGS_COMPILE = [
     "-DSQLITE_ENABLE_COLUMN_METADATA"