diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/unpack-bootstrap-tools-arm.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/unpack-bootstrap-tools-arm.sh
index 8692983d985..2399e48b026 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/unpack-bootstrap-tools-arm.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/unpack-bootstrap-tools-arm.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,13 @@ mv $out/lib/libpthread.so.tmp $out/lib/libpthread.so
 # Provide some additional symlinks.
 ln -s bash $out/bin/sh
 ln -s bzip2 $out/bin/bunzip2
-ln -s gzip $out/bin/gunzip
+
+# Mimic the gunzip script as in gzip installations
+cat > $out/bin/gunzip <<EOF
+#!$out/bin/sh
+exec $out/bin/gzip -d "\$@"
+EOF
+chmod +x $out/bin/gunzip
 
 # fetchurl needs curl.
 bzip2 -d < $curl > $out/bin/curl
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/unpack-bootstrap-tools.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/unpack-bootstrap-tools.sh
index 8692983d985..2399e48b026 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/unpack-bootstrap-tools.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/unpack-bootstrap-tools.sh
@@ -41,7 +41,13 @@ mv $out/lib/libpthread.so.tmp $out/lib/libpthread.so
 # Provide some additional symlinks.
 ln -s bash $out/bin/sh
 ln -s bzip2 $out/bin/bunzip2
-ln -s gzip $out/bin/gunzip
+
+# Mimic the gunzip script as in gzip installations
+cat > $out/bin/gunzip <<EOF
+#!$out/bin/sh
+exec $out/bin/gzip -d "\$@"
+EOF
+chmod +x $out/bin/gunzip
 
 # fetchurl needs curl.
 bzip2 -d < $curl > $out/bin/curl