diff --git a/modules/services/activate-system/default.nix b/modules/services/activate-system/default.nix
index 6a982fe83..58d2e2422 100644
--- a/modules/services/activate-system/default.nix
+++ b/modules/services/activate-system/default.nix
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
         ln -sfn $(cat ${config.system.profile}/systemConfig) /run/current-system
 
         # Prevent the current configuration from being garbage-collected.
-        ln -sfn /run/current-system /nix/var/nix/gcroots/current-system
+        if [[ -d /nix/var/nix/gcroots ]]; then
+          ln -sfn /run/current-system /nix/var/nix/gcroots/current-system
+        fi
 
         ${config.system.activationScripts.etcChecks.text}
         ${config.system.activationScripts.etc.text}
diff --git a/modules/system/activation-scripts.nix b/modules/system/activation-scripts.nix
index b051972b5..4f42d4112 100644
--- a/modules/system/activation-scripts.nix
+++ b/modules/system/activation-scripts.nix
@@ -109,7 +109,9 @@ in
       ln -sfn "$(readlink -f "$systemConfig")" /run/current-system
 
       # Prevent the current configuration from being garbage-collected.
-      ln -sfn /run/current-system /nix/var/nix/gcroots/current-system
+      if [[ -d /nix/var/nix/gcroots ]]; then
+        ln -sfn /run/current-system /nix/var/nix/gcroots/current-system
+      fi
 
       exit $_status
     '';