diff --git a/system/system.nix b/system/system.nix
index 590189f9abbb..7a40ba7c8850 100644
--- a/system/system.nix
+++ b/system/system.nix
@@ -121,14 +121,15 @@ rec {
       }
     ] ++
       pkgs.lib.optionals
-        (config.boot.initrd.enableSplashScreen && kernelPackages.kernel.features ? fbSplash)
+        (config.boot.initrd.enableSplashScreen && kernelPackages.splashutils != null)
         [
-          { object = pkgs.runCommand "splashutils" {} ''
+          { object = pkgs.runCommand "splashutils" {allowedReferences = []; buildInputs = [pkgs.nukeReferences];} ''
               ensureDir $out/bin
-              cp ${kernelPackages.splashutils}/bin/splash_helper $out/bin
+              cp ${kernelPackages.splashutils}/${kernelPackages.splashutils.helperName} $out/bin/splash_helper
+              nuke-refs $out/bin/*
             '';
             suffix = "/bin/splash_helper";
-            symlink = "/sbin/splash_helper";
+            symlink = "/${kernelPackages.splashutils.helperName}";
           }
           { object = import ../helpers/unpack-theme.nix {
               inherit (pkgs) stdenv;
diff --git a/upstart-jobs/default.nix b/upstart-jobs/default.nix
index f7117f616aec..0169b8b13c04 100644
--- a/upstart-jobs/default.nix
+++ b/upstart-jobs/default.nix
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ let
   )
 
   # Transparent TTY backgrounds.
-  ++ optional (config.services.ttyBackgrounds.enable && kernelPackages.kernel.features ? fbSplash)
+  ++ optional (config.services.ttyBackgrounds.enable && kernelPackages.splashutils != null)
     (import ../upstart-jobs/tty-backgrounds.nix {
       inherit (pkgs) stdenv;
       inherit (kernelPackages) splashutils;
diff --git a/upstart-jobs/tty-backgrounds.nix b/upstart-jobs/tty-backgrounds.nix
index 6debe9e8f44e..d83291d7a05f 100644
--- a/upstart-jobs/tty-backgrounds.nix
+++ b/upstart-jobs/tty-backgrounds.nix
@@ -21,39 +21,38 @@ rec {
     }
   ];
 
-  job = "
-start on hardware-scan
+  job = ''
+    start on hardware-scan
 
-start script
+    start script
 
-    # Critical: tell the kernel where to find splash_helper.  It calls
-    # this program every time we switch between consoles.
-    echo ${splashutils}/bin/splash_helper > /proc/sys/kernel/fbsplash
+	# Critical: tell the kernel where to find splash_helper.  It calls
+	# this program every time we switch between consoles.
+	echo ${splashutils}/${splashutils.helperName} > ${splashutils.helperProcFile}
 
-    # For each console...
-    for tty in ${toString (map (x: x.tty) backgrounds)}; do
-        # Make sure that the console exists.
-        echo -n '' > /dev/tty$tty 
+	# For each console...
+	for tty in ${toString (map (x: x.tty) backgrounds)}; do
+	    # Make sure that the console exists.
+	    echo -n "" > /dev/tty$tty 
 
-	# Set the theme as determined by tty-backgrounds-combine.sh
-        # above.
-        theme=$(readlink ${themesUnpacked}/$tty)
-        ${splashutils}/bin/splash_util --tty $tty -c setcfg -t $theme || true
-        ${splashutils}/bin/splash_util --tty $tty -c setpic -t $theme || true
-        ${splashutils}/bin/splash_util --tty $tty -c on || true
-    done
+	    # Set the theme as determined by tty-backgrounds-combine.sh
+	    # above.
+	    theme=$(readlink ${themesUnpacked}/$tty)
+	    ${splashutils}/${splashutils.controlName} --tty $tty -c setcfg -t $theme || true
+	    ${splashutils}/${splashutils.controlName} --tty $tty -c setpic -t $theme || true
+	    ${splashutils}/${splashutils.controlName} --tty $tty -c on || true
+	done
 
-end script
+    end script
 
-respawn sleep 10000 # !!! Hack
+    respawn sleep 10000 # !!! Hack
 
-stop script
-    # Disable the theme on each console.
-    for tty in ${toString (map (x: x.tty) backgrounds)}; do
-        ${splashutils}/bin/splash_util --tty $tty -c off || true
-    done
-end script
-
-  ";
+    stop script
+	# Disable the theme on each console.
+	for tty in ${toString (map (x: x.tty) backgrounds)}; do
+	    ${splashutils}/${splashutils.controlName} --tty $tty -c off || true
+	done
+    end script
+  '';
   
 }