diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/builder-stdenv-initial.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/builder-stdenv-initial.sh
index 1780b45f87e..6bd2f3084bf 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/builder-stdenv-initial.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/linux/scripts/builder-stdenv-initial.sh
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ PATH=$staticTools/bin
 
 mkdir $out
 
-sed -e "s^@initialPath@^$staticTools^" -e "s^@preHook@^^" -e "s^@postHook@^^" < $stdenvScript > $out/setup
+sed -e "s^@initialPath@^$staticTools^" -e "s^@preHook@^^" -e "s^@postHook@^^" -e "s^@shell@^$SHELL^" < $stdenvScript > $out/setup