diff --git a/srcpkgs/nix/files/nix.sh b/srcpkgs/nix/files/nix.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6c0e58673fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/srcpkgs/nix/files/nix.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+export NIX_USER_PROFILE_DIR=/nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/$USER
+
+mkdir -m 0755 -p $NIX_USER_PROFILE_DIR
+if test "$(stat --printf '%u' $NIX_USER_PROFILE_DIR)" != "$(id -u)"; then
+	echo "WARNING: bad ownership on $NIX_USER_PROFILE_DIR" >&2
+fi
+
+if ! test -L $HOME/.nix-profile; then
+	echo "creating $HOME/.nix-profile" >&2
+	if test "$USER" != root; then
+		ln -s $NIX_USER_PROFILE_DIR/profile $HOME/.nix-profile
+	else
+		# Root installs in the system-wide profile by default.
+		ln -s /nix/var/nix/profiles/default $HOME/.nix-profile
+	fi
+fi
+
+export NIX_PROFILES="/nix/var/nix/profiles/default $HOME/.nix-profile"
+
+for i in $NIX_PROFILES; do
+	export PATH=$i/bin:$PATH
+done
+
+if [ "$USER" = root -a ! -e $HOME/.nix-channels ]; then
+	echo "http://nixos.org/channels/nixpkgs-unstable nixpkgs" \
+		> $HOME/.nix-channels
+fi
+
+NIX_USER_GCROOTS_DIR=/nix/var/nix/gcroots/per-user/$USER
+mkdir -m 0755 -p $NIX_USER_GCROOTS_DIR
+if test "$(stat --printf '%u' $NIX_USER_GCROOTS_DIR)" != "$(id -u)"; then
+	echo "WARNING: bad ownership on $NIX_USER_GCROOTS_DIR" >&2
+fi
+
+if [ ! -e $HOME/.nix-defexpr -o -L $HOME/.nix-defexpr ]; then
+	echo "creating $HOME/.nix-defexpr" >&2
+	rm -f $HOME/.nix-defexpr
+	mkdir $HOME/.nix-defexpr
+	if [ "$USER" != root ]; then
+		ln -s /nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels \
+			$HOME/.nix-defexpr/channels_root
+	fi
+fi
diff --git a/srcpkgs/nix/template b/srcpkgs/nix/template
index ca6b50ba647..909714d485d 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/nix/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/nix/template
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Template file for 'nix'
 pkgname=nix
 version=1.6
-revision=1
+revision=2
 build_style=gnu-configure
 # Use /nix/var as suggested by the official Manual.
 configure_args="--localstatedir=/nix/var"
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ post_install() {
 	vinstall ${FILESDIR}/nix-daemon.service 644 usr/lib/systemd/system
 	# Setup build users.
 	echo 'build-users-group = nixbld' > ${DESTDIR}/etc/nix/nix.conf
+	# Install our profile.d/nix for multi-user by default.
+	vinstall ${FILESDIR}/nix.sh 644 etc/profile.d
 }
 
 nix_package() {
@@ -45,6 +47,7 @@ nix_package() {
 		/nix/var/log/nix/drvs 0755 root root
 		/nix/var/nix/profiles 0755 root root
 		/nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user 1777 root root
+		/nix/var/nix/gcroots/per-user 1777 root root
 		/nix/var/nix/temproots 0755 root root
 		/nix/var/nix/gcroots 0755 root root
 		/nix/var/nix/manifests 0755 root root