diff --git a/nix/dev-shell.nix b/nix/dev-shell.nix
index 8a5883563..f7cae8919 100644
--- a/nix/dev-shell.nix
+++ b/nix/dev-shell.nix
@@ -1,131 +1,136 @@
 { mkShell
 , stdenv
 , lib
 , amqp-cpp
 , arcanist
 , aws-sdk-cpp
 , better-prompt
 , boost
 , c-ares_cmake-config
 , cargo
 , cmake
 , cmake-format
 , cocoapods
 , corrosion
 , cryptopp
 , darwin
 , double-conversion
 , folly
 , fmt
 , glog
 , grpc
 , gtest
 , libiconv
 , libuv
 , mariadb
 , mariadb-up
 , nodejs-16_x
 , olm
 , openjdk8
 , openssl
 , pkg-config
 , protobuf_3_15_cmake
 , python3
 , redis
 , redis-up
 , rustc
 , shellcheck
 , sqlite
 , terraform
 , watchman
 , rustfmt
 , yarn
 }:
 
 mkShell {
 
   # programs which are meant to be executed should go here
   nativeBuildInputs = [
     # generic development or tools
     arcanist
     shellcheck
     terraform
 
     # node development
     mariadb
     nodejs-16_x
     yarn
     watchman # react native
     python3
     redis
 
     # native dependencies
     # C/CXX toolchains are already brought in with mkShell
     # Identity Service
     cargo # includes rustc
     rustc # allow for direct invocation of rustc
     rustfmt
 
     # Tunnelbroker + CMake
     amqp-cpp
     c-ares_cmake-config
     cryptopp
     cmake
     cmake-format # linting
     libuv
     pkg-config
     protobuf_3_15_cmake
     grpc
   ] ++ lib.optionals stdenv.isDarwin [
     cocoapods # needed for ios
   ];
 
   # include any libraries buildInputs
   buildInputs = [
     # protobuf exposes both a library and a command
     # thus should appear in both inputs
     protobuf_3_15_cmake
     aws-sdk-cpp # tunnelbroker
     corrosion # tunnelbroker
     double-conversion # tunnelbroker
     glog # tunnelbroker
     gtest # testing services
     folly # cpp tools
     fmt # needed for folly
     boost # needed for folly
     olm # needed for CryptoTools
     sqlite # needed for sqlite_orm
     openssl # needed for grpc
   ] ++ lib.optionals stdenv.isDarwin (with darwin.apple_sdk.frameworks; [
     CoreFoundation
     CoreServices
     Security
     libiconv  # identity service
   ]);
 
   JAVA_HOME = openjdk8.passthru.home;
 
   # shell commands to be ran upon entering shell
   shellHook = ''
+    PRJ_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
+
     # Set development environment variable defaults
     source "${../scripts/source_development_defaults.sh}"
 
+    # Cache development path for some use cases such as XCode
+    "$PRJ_ROOT/scripts/save_path.sh"
+
   ''
   # Darwin condition can be removed once linux services are supported
   + lib.optionalString stdenv.isDarwin ''
     # Start MariaDB development services
     "${mariadb-up}"/bin/mariadb-up &
     mariadb_pid=$!
 
     "${redis-up}"/bin/redis-up &
     redis_pid=$!
 
     wait "$mariadb_pid" "$redis_pid"
   '' + ''
 
     # Provide decent bash prompt
     source "${better-prompt}/bin/better-prompt"
 
     echo "Welcome to Comm dev environment! :)"
   '';
 }
diff --git a/scripts/save_path.sh b/scripts/save_path.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..879694631
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/save_path.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Save the `PATH` to a known location, this is to aide with xcode which will
+# unset all environment variables before attempting builds
+
+COMM_CACHE="${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/comm"
+
+mkdir -p "$COMM_CACHE"
+
+echo "export PATH=$PATH\${PATH:+:}\"\$PATH\"" > "$COMM_CACHE"/path