diff --git a/boot/boot-stage-2-init.sh b/boot/boot-stage-2-init.sh
index 7b0d48c73bc2..5678c6d53d43 100644
--- a/boot/boot-stage-2-init.sh
+++ b/boot/boot-stage-2-init.sh
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ for o in $(cat /proc/cmdline); do
         safemode)
             safeMode=1
             ;;
+        systemConfig=*)
+            set -- $(IFS==; echo $o)
+            systemConfig=$2
+            ;;
     esac
 done
 
@@ -93,7 +97,13 @@ mknod -m 0644 /dev/urandom c 1 9 # needed for passwd
 
 # Run the script that performs all configuration activation that does
 # not have to be done at boot time.
-@activateConfiguration@
+@activateConfiguration@ "$systemConfig"
+
+
+# Record the boot configuration.  !!! Should this be a GC root?
+if test -n "$systemConfig"; then
+    ln -sfn "$systemConfig" /var/run/booted-system
+fi
 
 
 # Ensure that the module tools can find the kernel modules.
@@ -104,10 +114,6 @@ export MODULE_DIR=@kernel@/lib/modules/
 @shell@ @bootLocal@
 
 
-# Start an interactive shell.
-#exec @shell@
-
-
 # Start Upstart's init.
 export UPSTART_CFG_DIR=/etc/event.d
 setPath "@upstartPath@"
diff --git a/installer/grub-menu-builder.sh b/installer/grub-menu-builder.sh
index 078d2c09d074..50d8205f8ecd 100644
--- a/installer/grub-menu-builder.sh
+++ b/installer/grub-menu-builder.sh
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ addEntry() {
     
     cat >> $tmp << GRUBEND
 title $name
-  kernel $kernel init=$(readlink -f $path/init) $(cat $path/kernel-params)
+  kernel $kernel systemConfig=$(readlink -f $path) init=$(readlink -f $path/init) $(cat $path/kernel-params)
   initrd $initrd
 GRUBEND
 }
diff --git a/system/activate-configuration.sh b/system/activate-configuration.sh
index 766d75fa1675..553199269f90 100644
--- a/system/activate-configuration.sh
+++ b/system/activate-configuration.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #! @shell@
 
+systemConfig="$1"
+
 export PATH=/empty
 for i in @path@; do PATH=$PATH:$i/bin:$i/sbin; done
 
@@ -138,7 +140,9 @@ hostname @hostName@
 
 
 # Make this configuration the current configuration.
-ln -sfn @out@ /var/run/current-system
+if test -n "$systemConfig"; then
+    ln -sfn "$systemConfig" /var/run/current-system
+fi
 
 # Prevent the current configuration from being garbage-collected.
 ln -sfn /var/run/current-system /nix/var/nix/gcroots/current-system
diff --git a/system/switch-to-configuration.sh b/system/switch-to-configuration.sh
index f3b61ded26a9..a2bdb094d988 100644
--- a/system/switch-to-configuration.sh
+++ b/system/switch-to-configuration.sh
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ if test "$action" = "switch" -o "$action" = "test"; then
     # Activate the new configuration (i.e., update /etc, make
     # accounts, and so on).
     echo "Activating the configuration..."
-    @out@/activate
+    @out@/activate @out@
 
     # Make Upstart reload its events.  !!! Should wait until it has
     # finished processing its stop events.
diff --git a/system/system.nix b/system/system.nix
index bec3adb943bd..482156a7ca91 100644
--- a/system/system.nix
+++ b/system/system.nix
@@ -294,6 +294,7 @@ rec {
     inherit activateConfiguration;
     inherit grubMenuBuilder;
     inherit etc;
+    inherit systemPath;
     kernel = pkgs.kernel + "/vmlinuz";
     initrd = initialRamdisk + "/initrd";
     # Most of these are needed by grub-install.
diff --git a/system/system.sh b/system/system.sh
index c358e8705728..321260777e33 100644
--- a/system/system.sh
+++ b/system/system.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ ln -s $bootStage2 $out/init
 ln -s $initrd $out/initrd
 ln -s $activateConfiguration $out/activate
 ln -s $etc/etc $out/etc
+ln -s $systemPath $out/sw
 
 echo "$kernelParams" > $out/kernel-params