diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/emacs/wrapper.nix b/pkgs/build-support/emacs/wrapper.nix
index f34835eaf096..fcbf5bcabe6d 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/emacs/wrapper.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/emacs/wrapper.nix
@@ -147,9 +147,15 @@ runCommand
         # Begin the new site-start.el by loading the original, which sets some
         # NixOS-specific paths. Paths are searched in the reverse of the order
         # they are specified in, so user and system profile paths are searched last.
+        #
+        # NOTE: Avoid displaying messages early at startup by binding
+        # inhibit-message to t. This would prevent the Emacs GUI from showing up
+        # prematurely. The messages would still be logged to the *Messages*
+        # buffer.
         rm -f $siteStart $siteStartByteCompiled $subdirs $subdirsByteCompiled
         cat >"$siteStart" <<EOF
-        (load-file "$emacs/share/emacs/site-lisp/site-start.el")
+        (let ((inhibit-message t))
+          (load-file "$emacs/share/emacs/site-lisp/site-start.el"))
         (add-to-list 'load-path "$out/share/emacs/site-lisp")
         (add-to-list 'exec-path "$out/bin")
         ${optionalString nativeComp ''