diff --git a/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-install.sh b/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-install.sh
index 87013dc8f97..22c1e0fe9a3 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-install.sh
+++ b/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-install.sh
@@ -115,6 +115,8 @@ if [[ -z $noChannelCopy ]]; then
         mkdir -p $mountPoint/nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root
         nix-env --store "$mountPoint" "${extraBuildFlags[@]}" --extra-substituters "$sub" \
                 -p $mountPoint/nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels --set "$channelPath" --quiet
+        install -m 0700 -d $mountPoint/root/.nix-defexpr
+        ln -sfn /nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels $mountPoint/root/.nix-defexpr/channels
     fi
 fi