diff --git a/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-install.sh b/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-install.sh
index 4f1b234b0e0f..40ec491a65f3 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-install.sh
+++ b/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-install.sh
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ if [[ -z $noChannelCopy ]]; then
 fi
 
 # Mark the target as a NixOS installation, otherwise switch-to-configuration will chicken out.
+mkdir -m 0755 "$mountPoint/etc"
 touch "$mountPoint/etc/NIXOS"
 
 # Switch to the new system configuration.  This will install Grub with