diff --git a/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/builder.sh b/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/builder.sh
index 92851539879..436f5f95afc 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/builder.sh
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ ensureDir $out
 sed -e "s^@bash\@^$bash^g" \
     -e "s^@sshd\@^$ssh^g" \
     -e "s^@initscripts\@^$initscripts^g" \
+    -e "s^@coreutils\@^$coreutils^g" \
     < $script > $out/control
diff --git a/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/default.nix b/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/default.nix
index 2ad10b08d26..1133ba150bd 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/default.nix
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-{stdenv, ssh, bash, initscripts, key ? null}:
+{stdenv, ssh, bash, initscripts, coreutils, key ? null}:
 
 stdenv.mkDerivation {
   name = "ssh-script-0.0.1";
   server = "ssh";
   builder = ./builder.sh ;
-  inherit bash ssh initscripts;
+  inherit bash ssh initscripts coreutils;
   script = [./sshd];
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/sshd b/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/sshd
index a685cda98cd..66657b74e2a 100755
--- a/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/sshd
+++ b/pkgs/servers/ssh-script/sshd
@@ -33,8 +33,8 @@ do_rsa1_keygen() {
 	if [ ! -s $RSA1_KEY ]; then
 		echo -n $"Generating SSH1 RSA host key: "
 		if $KEYGEN -q -t rsa1 -f $RSA1_KEY -C '' -N '' >&/dev/null; then
-			chmod 600 $RSA1_KEY
-			chmod 644 $RSA1_KEY.pub
+			@coreutils/bin/chmod 600 $RSA1_KEY
+			@coreutils@/bin/chmod 644 $RSA1_KEY.pub
 			success $"RSA1 key generation"
 			echo
 		else
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ do_rsa_keygen() {
 	if [ ! -s $RSA_KEY ]; then
 		echo -n $"Generating SSH2 RSA host key: "
 		if $KEYGEN -q -t rsa -f $RSA_KEY -C '' -N '' >&/dev/null; then
-			chmod 600 $RSA_KEY
-			chmod 644 $RSA_KEY.pub
+			@coreutils@/bin/chmod 600 $RSA_KEY
+			@coreutils@/bin/chmod 644 $RSA_KEY.pub
 			success $"RSA key generation"
 			echo
 		else
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ do_dsa_keygen() {
 	if [ ! -s $DSA_KEY ]; then
 		echo -n $"Generating SSH2 DSA host key: "
 		if $KEYGEN -q -t dsa -f $DSA_KEY -C '' -N '' >&/dev/null; then
-			chmod 600 $DSA_KEY
-			chmod 644 $DSA_KEY.pub
+			@coreutils@/bin/chmod 600 $DSA_KEY
+			@coreutils@/bin/chmod 644 $DSA_KEY.pub
 			success $"DSA key generation"
 			echo
 		else