diff --git a/packages.nix b/packages.nix
index 6a65d6b8..f330b8e2 100644
--- a/packages.nix
+++ b/packages.nix
@@ -188,15 +188,18 @@ lib.attrsets.mapAttrs
           rm -f old
           [ -e current ] && cp --no-dereference current old
         '';
-        createSymlinks = name: ''
+        createSymlinks = name: let
+          gcrootDir = "/nix/var/nix/gcroots/microvm";
+          in /* bash */ ''
           if [[ -e old ]]; then
             echo System package diff:
             nix --extra-experimental-features nix-command store diff-closures ./old ./current || true
           fi
 
-          ln -sfT \$PWD/current /nix/var/nix/gcroots/microvm/${name}
-          ln -sfT \$PWD/booted /nix/var/nix/gcroots/microvm/booted-${name}
-          ln -sfT \$PWD/old /nix/var/nix/gcroots/microvm/old-${name}
+          mkdir -p ${gcrootDir}
+          ln -sfT \$PWD/current ${gcrootDir}/${name}
+          ln -sfT \$PWD/booted ${gcrootDir}/booted-${name}
+          ln -sfT \$PWD/old ${gcrootDir}/old-${name}
         '';
       in {