diff --git a/pkgs/applications/networking/dropbox/default.nix b/pkgs/applications/networking/dropbox/default.nix
index 87bd8fce2e49aaa..303678bbe3fb8ff 100644
--- a/pkgs/applications/networking/dropbox/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/applications/networking/dropbox/default.nix
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@ in
 buildFHSEnv {
   name = "dropbox";
 
+  # The dropbox-cli command `dropbox start` starts the dropbox daemon in a
+  # separate session, and wants the daemon to outlive the launcher.  Enabling
+  # `--die-with-parent` defeats this and causes the daemon to exit when
+  # dropbox-cli exits.
+  dieWithParent = false;
+
   # dropbox-cli (i.e. nautilus-dropbox) needs the PID to confirm dropbox is running.
   # Dropbox's internal limit-to-one-instance check also relies on the PID.
   unsharePid = false;