diff --git a/modules/config/power-management.nix b/modules/config/power-management.nix
index a094caae0e0..dd241e4e815 100644
--- a/modules/config/power-management.nix
+++ b/modules/config/power-management.nix
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ let
       #! ${pkgs.stdenv.shell}
       action="$1"
       if [ "$action" = "resume" ]; then
-          ${cfg.resumeCommands}        
+          ${cfg.resumeCommands}
+          ${cfg.powerUpCommands}
       fi
     '';
 
@@ -39,6 +40,17 @@ in
         description = "Commands executed after the system resumes from suspend-to-RAM.";
       };
       
+      powerUpCommands = mkOption {
+        default = "";
+        example = "${pkgs.hdparm}/sbin/hdparm -B 255 /dev/sda";
+        description =
+          ''
+            Commands executed when the machine powers up.  That is,
+            they're executed both when the system first boots and when
+            it resumes from suspend or hibernation.
+          '';
+      };
+      
     };
     
   };
diff --git a/modules/system/boot/stage-2.nix b/modules/system/boot/stage-2.nix
index b19dbc39183..5c3c3560be3 100644
--- a/modules/system/boot/stage-2.nix
+++ b/modules/system/boot/stage-2.nix
@@ -29,7 +29,11 @@ let
         utillinux
         udev
       ];
-    postBootCommands = writeText "local-cmds" config.boot.postBootCommands;
+    postBootCommands = writeText "local-cmds"
+      ''
+        ${config.boot.postBootCommands}
+        ${config.powerManagement.powerUpCommands}
+      '';
   };
   
 in