diff --git a/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh b/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh
index 6a8bf5cbdb41..7070683d9b98 100644
--- a/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh
+++ b/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh
@@ -3,11 +3,6 @@
 # !!! copied from stage 1; remove duplication
 
 
-# If no `systemConfig' parameter is specified on the kernel command
-# line, use a fallback.
-systemConfig=/nix/var/nix/profiles/system
-
-
 # Print a greeting.
 echo
 echo -e "\e[1;32m<<< NixOS Stage 2 >>>\e[0m"
@@ -61,6 +56,11 @@ rm -f /etc/mtab* # not that we care about stale locks
 cat /proc/mounts > /etc/mtab
 
 
+# If no `systemConfig' parameter is specified on the kernel command
+# line, use a fallback.
+systemConfig=/nix/var/nix/profiles/system
+
+
 # Process the kernel command line.
 for o in $(cat /proc/cmdline); do
     case $o in
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@ for o in $(cat /proc/cmdline); do
     esac
 done
 
+systemConfig="$(readlink -f "$systemConfig")"
+
 
 # More special file systems, initialise required directories.
 mkdir -m 0777 /dev/shm