diff --git a/default.nix b/default.nix
index be3cb7382..e18d5010e 100644
--- a/default.nix
+++ b/default.nix
@@ -122,6 +122,9 @@ rec {
   cabalTools =
     pkgs.callPackage nix/tools/cabalTools.nix { inherit devCabalOptions postgrest; };
 
+  withTools =
+    pkgs.callPackage nix/tools/withTools.nix { inherit cabalTools devCabalOptions postgresqlVersions postgrest; };
+
   # Development tools.
   devTools =
     pkgs.callPackage nix/tools/devTools.nix { inherit tests style devCabalOptions hsie withTools; };
@@ -154,9 +157,6 @@ rec {
       inherit (pkgs.haskell.packages."${compiler}") hpc-codecov;
       inherit (pkgs.haskell.packages."${compiler}") weeder;
     };
-
-  withTools =
-    pkgs.callPackage nix/tools/withTools.nix { inherit devCabalOptions postgresqlVersions postgrest; };
 } // pkgs.lib.optionalAttrs pkgs.stdenv.isLinux rec {
   # Static executable.
   inherit postgrestStatic;
diff --git a/nix/README.md b/nix/README.md
index 2f67d90b7..a043302fd 100644
--- a/nix/README.md
+++ b/nix/README.md
@@ -207,6 +207,9 @@ postgrest-loadtest-against master
 # You can simulate latency client/postgrest and postgrest/database
 PGRST_DELAY=5ms PGDELAY=5ms postgrest-loadtest
 
+# You can build postgrest directly with cabal for faster iteration
+PGRST_BUILD_CABAL=1 postgrest-loadtest
+
 # Produce a markdown report to be used on CI
 postgrest-loadtest-report
 ```
diff --git a/nix/tools/cabalTools.nix b/nix/tools/cabalTools.nix
index 4f030661e..7557d650c 100644
--- a/nix/tools/cabalTools.nix
+++ b/nix/tools/cabalTools.nix
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ let
     checkedShellScript
       {
         name = "postgrest-run";
-        docs = "Run PostgREST after buidling it interactively with cabal-install";
+        docs = "Run PostgREST after building it interactively with cabal-install";
         args = [ "ARG_LEFTOVERS([PostgREST arguments])" ];
         inRootDir = true;
         withEnv = postgrest.env;
diff --git a/nix/tools/withTools.nix b/nix/tools/withTools.nix
index c7dceb49b..eba52d606 100644
--- a/nix/tools/withTools.nix
+++ b/nix/tools/withTools.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 { bash-completion
 , buildToolbox
 , cabal-install
+, cabalTools
 , checkedShellScript
 , curl
 , devCabalOptions
@@ -333,16 +334,23 @@ let
         export PGRST_SERVER_UNIX_SOCKET="$tmpdir"/postgrest.socket
 
         rm -f result
-        echo -n "Building postgrest... "
-        nix-build -A postgrestPackage > "$tmpdir"/build.log 2>&1 || {
-          echo "failed, output:"
-          cat "$tmpdir"/build.log
-          exit 1
-        }
+        if [ -z "''${PGRST_BUILD_CABAL:-}" ]; then
+          echo -n "Building postgrest (nix)... "
+          nix-build -A postgrestPackage > "$tmpdir"/build.log 2>&1 || {
+            echo "failed, output:"
+            cat "$tmpdir"/build.log
+            exit 1
+          }
+          PGRST_CMD=./result/bin/postgrest
+        else
+          echo -n "Building postgrest (cabal)... "
+          postgrest-build
+          PGRST_CMD=postgrest-run
+        fi
         echo "done."
 
         echo -n "Starting postgrest... "
-        ./result/bin/postgrest ${legacyConfig} > "$tmpdir"/run.log 2>&1 &
+        $PGRST_CMD ${legacyConfig} > "$tmpdir"/run.log 2>&1 &
         pid=$!
         # shellcheck disable=SC2317
         cleanup() {