diff --git a/nixos/modules/installer/tools/tools.nix b/nixos/modules/installer/tools/tools.nix
index 6e3e2eb475f3..34526c1b20a3 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/installer/tools/tools.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/installer/tools/tools.nix
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ in
   imports = let
     mkToolModule = { name, package ? pkgs.${name} }: { config, ... }: {
       options.system.tools.${name}.enable = lib.mkEnableOption "${name} script" // {
-        default = config.nix.enable;
+        default = config.nix.enable && ! config.system.disableInstallerTools;
         internal = true;
       };
 
@@ -235,27 +235,14 @@ in
     (mkToolModule { name = "nixos-version"; package = nixos-version; })
   ];
 
-  config = lib.mkMerge [
-    (lib.mkIf config.system.disableInstallerTools {
-      system.tools = {
-        nixos-build-vms.enable = false;
-        nixos-enter.enable = false;
-        nixos-generate-config.enable = false;
-        nixos-install.enable = false;
-        nixos-option.enable = false;
-        nixos-rebuild.enable = false;
-        nixos-version.enable = false;
-      };
-    })
-    {
-      documentation.man.man-db.skipPackages = [ nixos-version ];
+  config = {
+    documentation.man.man-db.skipPackages = [ nixos-version ];
 
-      # These may be used in auxiliary scripts (ie not part of toplevel), so they are defined unconditionally.
-      system.build = {
-        inherit nixos-generate-config nixos-install nixos-rebuild;
-        nixos-option = lib.warn "Accessing nixos-option through `config.system.build` is deprecated, use `pkgs.nixos-option` instead." pkgs.nixos-option;
-        nixos-enter = lib.warn "Accessing nixos-enter through `config.system.build` is deprecated, use `pkgs.nixos-enter` instead." pkgs.nixos-enter;
-      };
-    }
-  ];
+    # These may be used in auxiliary scripts (ie not part of toplevel), so they are defined unconditionally.
+    system.build = {
+      inherit nixos-generate-config nixos-install nixos-rebuild;
+      nixos-option = lib.warn "Accessing nixos-option through `config.system.build` is deprecated, use `pkgs.nixos-option` instead." pkgs.nixos-option;
+      nixos-enter = lib.warn "Accessing nixos-enter through `config.system.build` is deprecated, use `pkgs.nixos-enter` instead." pkgs.nixos-enter;
+    };
+  };
 }