diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/builder.sh b/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/builder.sh
index ae8e64736940..f6f388911531 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/builder.sh
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ mkGccWrapper () {
     sed \
         -e "s^@gcc@^$src^g" \
         -e "s^@out@^$out^g" \
+        -e "s^@bash@^$SHELL^g" \
         < $gccWrapper > $dst
     chmod +x $dst
 }
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ sed \
     -e "s^@out@^$out^g" \
     -e "s^@ldflags@^$ldflags^g" \
     -e "s^@ld@^$ldPath/ld^g" \
+    -e "s^@bash@^$SHELL^g" \
     < $ldWrapper > $out/bin/ld
 chmod +x $out/bin/ld
 
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/gcc-wrapper.sh b/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/gcc-wrapper.sh
index d144e142d214..21e519242091 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/gcc-wrapper.sh
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/gcc-wrapper.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#! /bin/sh
+#! @bash@ -e
 
 if test -n "$NIX_GCC_WRAPPER_START_HOOK"; then
     . "$NIX_GCC_WRAPPER_START_HOOK"
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/ld-wrapper.sh b/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/ld-wrapper.sh
index 45bb210aa6d9..1443af331550 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/ld-wrapper.sh
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper/ld-wrapper.sh
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#! /bin/sh
+#! @bash@ -e
 
 if test -n "$NIX_LD_WRAPPER_START_HOOK"; then
     . "$NIX_LD_WRAPPER_START_HOOK"
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/initial/builder.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/initial/builder.sh
index 9aa5aa6ae18d..6673f7fea156 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/initial/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/initial/builder.sh
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@ export PATH=/usr/bin:/bin
 mkdir $out
 cat > $out/setup <<EOF
 export PATH=/usr/bin:/bin
+export SHELL=/bin/sh
 EOF
 chmod +x $out/setup