diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh b/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh
index f9a2084ea9e8..c0af29e3b990 100755
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh
@@ -104,7 +104,10 @@ fi
 
 
 # Required by the activation script
-install -m 0755 -d /etc /etc/nixos
+install -m 0755 -d /etc
+if [ -d "/etc/nixos" ]; then
+    install -m 0755 -d /etc/nixos
+fi
 install -m 01777 -d /tmp