diff --git a/modules/config/shells.nix b/modules/config/shells.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..53d445b0ead
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/config/shells.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# This module creates /etc/shells, the file that defines the list of
+# permissible login shells for user accounts.
+
+{ config, pkgs, ... }:
+
+with pkgs.lib;
+
+{
+
+  config = {
+
+    environment.etc = singleton
+      { target = "shells";
+        source = pkgs.writeText "shells"
+          ''
+            /var/run/current-system/sw/bin/bash
+            /bin/sh
+          '';
+      };
+
+  };  
+
+}
diff --git a/modules/module-list.nix b/modules/module-list.nix
index 6bb0c916189..821d58a70fe 100644
--- a/modules/module-list.nix
+++ b/modules/module-list.nix
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
   ./config/no-x-libs.nix
   ./config/nsswitch.nix
   ./config/power-management.nix
+  ./config/shells.nix
   ./config/swap.nix
   ./config/system-path.nix
   ./config/timezone.nix