diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index 4cff0598..67b89c38 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -77,8 +77,13 @@
 
 # -- Options for JupyterLite ----------------------------------------------
 jupyterlite_contents = ["tutorials/intro_tutorial.ipynb"]
+
 jupyterlite_bind_ipynb_suffix = False
 
+jupyterlite_build_command_options = {
+    "XeusAddon.environment_file": "environment.yml",
+    }
+
 latex_elements = {
     # The paper size ('letterpaper' or 'a4paper').
     #'papersize': 'letterpaper',
diff --git a/docs/source/environment.yml b/docs/source/environment.yml
index 2d8f73c1..787c29ee 100644
--- a/docs/source/environment.yml
+++ b/docs/source/environment.yml
@@ -10,5 +10,6 @@ dependencies:
       - jupyterlite_sphinx~=0.15.0
       - geopandas==0.14.4
       - myst_nb>1 #required for build
+      - xeus-python
       - jupyterlite-xeus-python>0.9 #provides kernel???