diff --git a/plugins/by-name/direnv/default.nix b/plugins/by-name/direnv/default.nix
index 2a305e3b..7fa9539a 100644
--- a/plugins/by-name/direnv/default.nix
+++ b/plugins/by-name/direnv/default.nix
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ helpers.vim-plugin.mkVimPlugin {
   originalName = "direnv.vim";
   package = "direnv-vim";
   globalPrefix = "direnv_";
-  extraPackages = [ pkgs.direnv ];
 
   maintainers = [ helpers.maintainers.alisonjenkins ];
 
@@ -36,4 +35,14 @@ helpers.vim-plugin.mkVimPlugin {
       Stop echoing output from Direnv command.
     '';
   };
+
+  extraOptions = {
+    direnvPackage = lib.mkPackageOption pkgs "direnv" {
+      nullable = true;
+    };
+  };
+
+  extraConfig = cfg: {
+    extraPackages = [ cfg.direnvPackage ];
+  };
 }
diff --git a/tests/test-sources/plugins/by-name/direnv/default.nix b/tests/test-sources/plugins/by-name/direnv/default.nix
index 43b21442..8b58818a 100644
--- a/tests/test-sources/plugins/by-name/direnv/default.nix
+++ b/tests/test-sources/plugins/by-name/direnv/default.nix
@@ -14,4 +14,11 @@
       };
     };
   };
+
+  no-packages = {
+    plugins.direnv = {
+      enable = true;
+      direnvPackage = null;
+    };
+  };
 }