diff --git a/packages.nix b/packages.nix
index e4deeda2..b99a6d60 100644
--- a/packages.nix
+++ b/packages.nix
@@ -142,7 +142,8 @@ lib.attrsets.mapAttrs
         "${name}-nixos-rebuild-local" = pkgs.writeScriptBin "${name}-nixos-rebuild" ''
           #!${pkgs.runtimeShell} -ex
           [[ $1 == build || $(ssh ${target} cat /etc/hostname) == ${name} ]]
-          ${pkgs.nixos-rebuild}/bin/nixos-rebuild ${rebuildArg} --target-host ${target} --use-remote-sudo "$@"
+          # don't re-execute, otherwise we run the targetPlatform locally
+          _NIXOS_REBUILD_REEXEC=1 ${pkgs.nixos-rebuild}/bin/nixos-rebuild ${rebuildArg} --target-host ${target} --use-remote-sudo "$@"
         '';
 
         "${name}-cleanup" = pkgs.writeScriptBin "${name}-cleanup" ''