diff --git a/pkgs/min-copy-closure/liminix-rebuild.sh b/pkgs/min-copy-closure/liminix-rebuild.sh
index f13be053..faa230e8 100755
--- a/pkgs/min-copy-closure/liminix-rebuild.sh
+++ b/pkgs/min-copy-closure/liminix-rebuild.sh
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ fi
 if toplevel=$(nix-build "$@" -A outputs.systemConfiguration --no-out-link); then
     echo systemConfiguration $toplevel
     min-copy-closure $target_host $toplevel
-    $ssh_command $target_host cp -v -fP $toplevel/bin/* $toplevel/etc/* /persist
+    $ssh_command $target_host $toplevel/bin/install
     $ssh_command  $target_host "sync; source /etc/profile; reboot"
 else
     echo Rebuild failed
diff --git a/pkgs/systemconfig/default.nix b/pkgs/systemconfig/default.nix
index a18800e3..e15e1bc8 100644
--- a/pkgs/systemconfig/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/systemconfig/default.nix
@@ -80,5 +80,10 @@ in attrset:
       cp $closure/store-paths $out/etc/nix-store-paths
       $STRIP --remove-section=.note  --remove-section=.comment --strip-all makedevs -o $out/bin/activate
       ln -s ${s6-init-bin}/bin/init $out/bin/init
+      cat > $out/bin/install <<EOF
+      #!/bin/sh
+      cp -v -fP $out/bin/* $out/etc/* \''${1-/}/persist
+      EOF
+      chmod +x $out/bin/install
     '';
   }