diff --git a/installer/grub-menu-builder.sh b/installer/grub-menu-builder.sh
index 06371d4af7e..078d2c09d07 100644
--- a/installer/grub-menu-builder.sh
+++ b/installer/grub-menu-builder.sh
@@ -19,24 +19,47 @@ default=0
 timeout=5
 GRUBEND
 
-addEntry() {
-    name="$1"
-    path="$2"
 
-    if ! test -e $path/menu.lst; then
+
+addEntry() {
+    local name="$1"
+    local path="$2"
+
+    if ! test -e $path/kernel -a -e $path/initrd; then
         return
     fi
 
+    local kernel=$(readlink -f $path/kernel)
+    local initrd=$(readlink -f $path/initrd)
+
+    if test -n "@copyKernels@"; then
+        local kernel2=/boot/kernels/$(echo $kernel | sed 's^/^-^g')
+        if ! test -e $kernel2; then
+            cp $kernel $kernel2
+        fi
+        kernel=$kernel2
+
+        local initrd2=/boot/kernels/$(echo $initrd | sed 's^/^-^g')
+        if ! test -e $initrd2; then
+            cp $initrd $initrd2
+        fi
+        initrd=$initrd2
+    fi
+    
     cat >> $tmp << GRUBEND
 title $name
+  kernel $kernel init=$(readlink -f $path/init) $(cat $path/kernel-params)
+  initrd $initrd
 GRUBEND
-
-    #cat $path/menu.lst >> $tmp
-
-    grep -v "title \|default=\|timeout=" < $path/menu.lst >> $tmp
 }
 
 
+rm -rf /boot/kernels
+if test -n "@copyKernels@"; then
+    mkdir -p /boot/kernels
+fi
+
+
 if test -n "$tmp"; then
     addEntry "NixOS - Default" $default
 fi
@@ -52,7 +75,6 @@ for generation in $(
     link=/nix/var/nix/profiles/system-$generation-link
     date=$(stat --printf="%y\n" $link | sed 's/\..*//')
     addEntry "NixOS - Configuration $generation ($date)" $link
-        
 done
 
 
diff --git a/system/options.nix b/system/options.nix
index 1cdf3d04157..6c0322aa70c 100644
--- a/system/options.nix
+++ b/system/options.nix
@@ -175,6 +175,17 @@
   }
 
 
+  {
+    name = ["boot" "copyKernels"];
+    default = false;
+    description = "
+      Whether the Grub menu builder should copy kernels and initial
+      ramdisks to /boot.  This is necessary when /nix is on a
+      different file system than /.
+    ";
+  }
+
+
   {
     name = ["networking" "useDHCP"];
     default = true;
diff --git a/system/system.nix b/system/system.nix
index c29d6100c98..0fbe3ad7c65 100644
--- a/system/system.nix
+++ b/system/system.nix
@@ -256,6 +256,7 @@ rec {
     isExecutable = true;
     inherit (pkgs) bash;
     path = [pkgs.coreutils pkgs.gnused pkgs.gnugrep];
+    copyKernels = config.get ["boot" "copyKernels"];
   };