diff --git a/test/boot-stage-2-init.sh b/test/boot-stage-2-init.sh
index a9e9c63708b..02b440f5a36 100644
--- a/test/boot-stage-2-init.sh
+++ b/test/boot-stage-2-init.sh
@@ -27,5 +27,16 @@ mount -t tmpfs none /tmp
 # Create device nodes in /dev.
 source @makeDevices@
 
+# Ensure that the module tools can find the kernel modules.
+export MODULE_DIR=@kernel@/lib/modules/
+
+# Additional path for the interactive shell.
+for i in @extraPath@; do
+    PATH=$PATH:$i/bin
+    if test -e $i/sbin; then
+        PATH=$PATH:$i/sbin
+    fi
+done
+
 # Start an interactive shell.
 exec @shell@
diff --git a/test/boot-stage-2.nix b/test/boot-stage-2.nix
index 5605bd593a5..8f68858f536 100644
--- a/test/boot-stage-2.nix
+++ b/test/boot-stage-2.nix
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 { genericSubstituter, shell, coreutils
-, utillinux
+, utillinux, kernel, path ? []
 }:
 
 genericSubstituter {
   src = ./boot-stage-2-init.sh;
   isExecutable = true;
-  inherit shell;
+  inherit shell kernel;
   path = [
     coreutils
     utillinux
   ];
+  extraPath = path;
   makeDevices = ./make-devices.sh;
 }
diff --git a/test/rescue-system.nix b/test/rescue-system.nix
index 69899180baf..216cf2009f9 100644
--- a/test/rescue-system.nix
+++ b/test/rescue-system.nix
@@ -63,8 +63,30 @@ rec {
   # The init script of boot stage 2, which is supposed to do
   # everything else to bring up the system.
   bootStage2 = import ./boot-stage-2.nix {
-    inherit (pkgs) genericSubstituter coreutils utillinux;
+    inherit (pkgs) genericSubstituter coreutils utillinux kernel;
     shell = pkgs.bash + "/bin/sh";
+
+    # Additional stuff; add whatever you want here.
+    path = [
+      pkgs.bash
+      pkgs.bzip2
+      pkgs.cpio
+      pkgs.curl
+      pkgs.e2fsprogs
+      pkgs.findutils
+      pkgs.gnugrep
+      pkgs.gnused
+      pkgs.gnutar
+      pkgs.grub
+      pkgs.gzip
+      pkgs.iputils
+      pkgs.less
+      pkgs.module_init_tools
+      pkgs.nano
+      pkgs.netcat
+      pkgs.nettools
+      pkgs.vim
+    ];
   };