diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/pinocchio/default.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/pinocchio/default.nix
index e03ac9ee854d..33fb913ca9e9 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/pinocchio/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/pinocchio/default.nix
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
 
     # allow package:// uri use in examples
     export ROS_PACKAGE_PATH=${example-robot-data}/share
+
+    # silence matplotlib warning
+    export MPLCONFIGDIR=$(mktemp -d)
   '';
 
   # CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE defaults to Release in this package,