diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix b/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix
index 691cea0055357..5d787335bd8de 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix
@@ -7,15 +7,10 @@ let
     ''
       mkdir $out
 
-      cp ${config.system.build.bootStage2} $out/init
-      substituteInPlace $out/init --subst-var-by systemConfig $out
-
       ln -s ${config.system.build.etc}/etc $out/etc
       ln -s ${config.system.path} $out/sw
-      ln -s "$systemd" $out/systemd
 
       echo -n "$configurationName" > $out/configuration-name
-      echo -n "systemd ${toString config.systemd.package.interfaceVersion}" > $out/init-interface-version
       echo -n "$nixosLabel" > $out/nixos-version
 
       echo -n "${toString config.system.extraDependencies}" > $out/extra-dependencies
diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2.nix
index f6b6a8e4b0b44..dd64c374203c7 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2.nix
@@ -104,5 +104,12 @@ in
 
     system.build.bootStage2 = bootStage2;
 
+    system.systemBuilderCommands = ''
+      cp ${config.system.build.bootStage2} $out/init
+      substituteInPlace $out/init --subst-var-by systemConfig $out
+      ln -s "$systemd" $out/systemd
+      echo -n "systemd ${toString config.systemd.package.interfaceVersion}" > $out/init-interface-version
+    '';
+
   };
 }