diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix b/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix
index 07c2e05ce374..1f9ad570db7d 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix
@@ -4,38 +4,9 @@ with lib;
 
 let
   systemBuilder =
-    let
-      kernelPath = "${config.boot.kernelPackages.kernel}/" +
-        "${config.system.boot.loader.kernelFile}";
-      initrdPath = "${config.system.build.initialRamdisk}/" +
-        "${config.system.boot.loader.initrdFile}";
-    in ''
+    ''
       mkdir $out
 
-      # Containers don't have their own kernel or initrd.  They boot
-      # directly into stage 2.
-      ${optionalString config.boot.kernel.enable ''
-        if [ ! -f ${kernelPath} ]; then
-          echo "The bootloader cannot find the proper kernel image."
-          echo "(Expecting ${kernelPath})"
-          false
-        fi
-
-        ln -s ${kernelPath} $out/kernel
-        ln -s ${config.system.modulesTree} $out/kernel-modules
-        ${optionalString (config.hardware.deviceTree.package != null) ''
-          ln -s ${config.hardware.deviceTree.package} $out/dtbs
-        ''}
-
-        echo -n "$kernelParams" > $out/kernel-params
-
-        ln -s ${initrdPath} $out/initrd
-
-        ln -s ${config.system.build.initialRamdiskSecretAppender}/bin/append-initrd-secrets $out
-
-        ln -s ${config.hardware.firmware}/lib/firmware $out/firmware
-      ''}
-
       ${if config.boot.initrd.systemd.enable then ''
         cp ${config.system.build.bootStage2} $out/prepare-root
         substituteInPlace $out/prepare-root --subst-var-by systemConfig $out
@@ -83,7 +54,6 @@ let
 
     systemd = config.systemd.package;
 
-    kernelParams = config.boot.kernelParams;
     nixosLabel = config.system.nixos.label;
 
     inherit (config.system) extraDependencies;
diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
index 0298e28f3289..9ea611919676 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
@@ -309,6 +309,38 @@ in
 
         system.modulesTree = [ kernel ] ++ config.boot.extraModulePackages;
 
+        # Not required for, e.g., containers as they don't have their own kernel or initrd.
+        # They boot directly into stage 2.
+        system.systemBuilderArgs.kernelParams = config.boot.kernelParams;
+        system.systemBuilderCommands =
+          let
+            kernelPath = "${config.boot.kernelPackages.kernel}/" +
+              "${config.system.boot.loader.kernelFile}";
+            initrdPath = "${config.system.build.initialRamdisk}/" +
+              "${config.system.boot.loader.initrdFile}";
+          in
+          ''
+            if [ ! -f ${kernelPath} ]; then
+              echo "The bootloader cannot find the proper kernel image."
+              echo "(Expecting ${kernelPath})"
+              false
+            fi
+
+            ln -s ${kernelPath} $out/kernel
+            ln -s ${config.system.modulesTree} $out/kernel-modules
+            ${optionalString (config.hardware.deviceTree.package != null) ''
+              ln -s ${config.hardware.deviceTree.package} $out/dtbs
+            ''}
+
+            echo -n "$kernelParams" > $out/kernel-params
+
+            ln -s ${initrdPath} $out/initrd
+
+            ln -s ${config.system.build.initialRamdiskSecretAppender}/bin/append-initrd-secrets $out
+
+            ln -s ${config.hardware.firmware}/lib/firmware $out/firmware
+          '';
+
         # Implement consoleLogLevel both in early boot and using sysctl
         # (so you don't need to reboot to have changes take effect).
         boot.kernelParams =