diff --git a/pkgs/python-modules/torch/source/2_8/default.nix b/pkgs/python-modules/torch/source/2_8/default.nix
index 5f41181..2c03b6c 100644
--- a/pkgs/python-modules/torch/source/2_8/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/python-modules/torch/source/2_8/default.nix
@@ -439,6 +439,10 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
   USE_MKLDNN = setBool mklDnnSupport;
   USE_MKLDNN_CBLAS = setBool mklDnnSupport;
 
+  # Enable distributed support (c10d, gloo, etc.)
+  # Required for torch.distributed and dependencies like transformers
+  USE_DISTRIBUTED = setBool true;
+
   # Avoid using pybind11 from git submodule
   # Also avoids pytorch exporting the headers of pybind11
   USE_SYSTEM_PYBIND11 = true;
diff --git a/pkgs/python-modules/torch/source/2_9/default.nix b/pkgs/python-modules/torch/source/2_9/default.nix
index 25b18a9..f435320 100644
--- a/pkgs/python-modules/torch/source/2_9/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/python-modules/torch/source/2_9/default.nix
@@ -422,6 +422,10 @@ buildPythonPackage rec {
   USE_MKLDNN = setBool mklDnnSupport;
   USE_MKLDNN_CBLAS = setBool mklDnnSupport;
 
+  # Enable distributed support (c10d, gloo, etc.)
+  # Required for torch.distributed and dependencies like transformers
+  USE_DISTRIBUTED = setBool true;
+
   # Avoid using pybind11 from git submodule
   # Also avoids pytorch exporting the headers of pybind11
   USE_SYSTEM_PYBIND11 = true;