diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/nuke-references/builder.sh b/pkgs/build-support/nuke-references/builder.sh
index 867262c516b..a08dfa2bd94 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/nuke-references/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/nuke-references/builder.sh
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ ensureDir $out/bin
 cat > $out/bin/nuke-refs <<EOF
 #! $SHELL -e
 for i in \$*; do
-    cat \$i | sed "s|/nix/store/[a-z0-9]*-|/nix/store/eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-|g" > \$i.tmp
-    if test -x \$i; then chmod +x \$i.tmp; fi
-    mv \$i.tmp \$i
+    if ! test -L \$i; then
+        cat \$i | sed "s|/nix/store/[a-z0-9]*-|/nix/store/eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-|g" > \$i.tmp
+        if test -x \$i; then chmod +x \$i.tmp; fi
+        mv \$i.tmp \$i
+    fi
 done
 EOF
 chmod +x $out/bin/nuke-refs