diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-option.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-option.xml
index f7a8ce403dc1..bd180363e70d 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-option.xml
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-option.xml
@@ -18,17 +18,12 @@
   <cmdsynopsis>
     <command>nixos-option</command>
     <group choice="opt">
-      <option>-i</option>
-      <option>v</option>
-      <option>d</option>
-      <option>l</option>
+      <option>-v</option>
+      <option>-d</option>
+      <option>-l</option>
     </group>
     <arg choice='plain'><replaceable>option.name</replaceable></arg>
   </cmdsynopsis>
-  <cmdsynopsis>
-    <command>nixos-option</command>
-    <arg choice='plain'><option>--install</option></arg>
-  </cmdsynopsis>
 </refsynopsisdiv>
 
 
@@ -40,16 +35,7 @@ of the option name given as argument.  By default, it returns the value of
 the option.</para>
 
 <para>When the option name is not an option, the command prints the list of
-attributes in contained in the attribute set.  This could used to provide
-completion in some editors.</para>
-
-<para>When the option <option>--install</option> (or <option>-i</option>) is
-used with no option name, this command generates a template configuration
-with a scan of the target system.  It produces a template configuration
-in <filename>/etc/nixos/configuration.nix</filename>, and a scan of the
-machine in <filename>/etc/nixos/hardware-configuration.nix</filename>.  The
-scan of the machine is produced
-by <command>nixos-hardware-scan</command>.</para>
+attributes contained in the attribute set.</para>
 
 </refsection>
 
@@ -59,15 +45,6 @@ by <command>nixos-hardware-scan</command>.</para>
 
 <variablelist>
 
-  <varlistentry>
-    <term><option>--install</option>, <option>-i</option></term>
-    <listitem>
-      <para>Use the installation configuration instead of current system
-      configuration.  Generate a template configuration if no option name is
-      specified.</para>
-    </listitem>
-  </varlistentry>
-
   <varlistentry>
     <term><option>--value</option>, <option>-v</option></term>
     <listitem>
@@ -102,15 +79,6 @@ by <command>nixos-hardware-scan</command>.</para>
 
 <variablelist>
 
-  <varlistentry>
-    <term><envar>mountPoint</envar></term>
-    <listitem>
-      <para>Location of the target file system.  Defaults to
-      <filename>/mnt</filename>.  This environment variable is only used in
-      combinaison with <option>--install</option> option.</para>
-    </listitem>
-  </varlistentry>
-
   <varlistentry>
     <term><envar>NIXOS_CONFIG</envar></term>
     <listitem>
diff --git a/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-generate-config.pl b/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-generate-config.pl
index 58508560b8e4..e6d8eda016da 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-generate-config.pl
+++ b/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-generate-config.pl
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ my $modulePackages = toNixExpr(removeDups @modulePackages);
 my $attrs = multiLineList("  ", removeDups @attrs);
 my $imports = multiLineList("    ", removeDups @imports);
 
-my $fn = "$outDir/hardware.nix";
+my $fn = "$outDir/hardware-configuration.nix";
 print STDERR "writing $fn...\n";
 mkpath($outDir, 0, 0755);
 
@@ -271,4 +271,100 @@ write_file($fn, <<EOF);
 $attrs}
 EOF
 
+# Generate a basic configuration.nix, unless one already exists.
+$fn = "$outDir/configuration.nix";
+if (! -e $fn) {
+    print STDERR "writing $fn...\n";
+
+    my $bootloaderConfig;
+    if (-e "/sys/firmware/efi/efivars") {
+        $bootLoaderConfig = <<EOF;
+  # Use the gummiboot efi boot loader.
+  boot.loader.grub.enable = false;
+  boot.loader.gummiboot.enable = true;
+  boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables = true;
+  # !!! Remove me when nixos is on 3.10 or greater by default
+  # EFI booting requires kernel >= 3.10
+  boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.linuxPackages_3_10;
+EOF
+    } else {
+        $bootLoaderConfig = <<EOF;
+  # Use the GRUB 2 boot loader.
+  boot.loader.grub.enable = true;
+  boot.loader.grub.version = 2;
+  # Define on which hard drive you want to install Grub.
+  # boot.loader.grub.device = "/dev/sda";
+EOF
+    }
+
+    write_file($fn, <<EOF);
+# Edit this configuration file to define what should be installed on
+# your system.  Help is available in the configuration.nix(5) man page
+# and in the NixOS manual (accessible by running ‘nixos-help’).
+
+{ config, pkgs, ... }:
+
+{
+  imports =
+    [ # Include the results of the hardware scan.
+      ./hardware-configuration.nix
+    ];
+
+  boot.initrd.kernelModules =
+    [ # Specify all kernel modules that are necessary for mounting the root
+      # filesystem.
+      # "xfs" "ata_piix"
+      # fbcon # Uncomment this when EFI booting to see the console before the root partition is mounted
+    ];
+
+$bootLoaderConfig
+  # networking.hostName = "nixos"; # Define your hostname.
+  # networking.wireless.enable = true;  # Enables wireless.
+
+  # Add filesystem entries for each partition that you want to see
+  # mounted at boot time.  This should include at least the root
+  # filesystem.
+
+  # fileSystems."/".device = "/dev/disk/by-label/nixos";
+
+  # fileSystems."/data" =     # where you want to mount the device
+  #   { device = "/dev/sdb";  # the device
+  #     fsType = "ext3";      # the type of the partition
+  #     options = "data=journal";
+  #   };
+
+  # List swap partitions activated at boot time.
+  swapDevices =
+    [ # { device = "/dev/disk/by-label/swap"; }
+    ];
+
+  # Select internationalisation properties.
+  # i18n = {
+  #   consoleFont = "lat9w-16";
+  #   consoleKeyMap = "us";
+  #   defaultLocale = "en_US.UTF-8";
+  # };
+
+  # List services that you want to enable:
+
+  # Enable the OpenSSH daemon.
+  # services.openssh.enable = true;
+
+  # Enable CUPS to print documents.
+  # services.printing.enable = true;
+
+  # Enable the X11 windowing system.
+  # services.xserver.enable = true;
+  # services.xserver.layout = "us";
+  # services.xserver.xkbOptions = "eurosign:e";
+
+  # Enable the KDE Desktop Environment.
+  # services.xserver.displayManager.kdm.enable = true;
+  # services.xserver.desktopManager.kde4.enable = true;
+}
+EOF
+} else {
+    print STDERR "warning: not overwriting existing $fn\n";
+}
+
 # workaround for a bug in substituteAll
diff --git a/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-option.sh b/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-option.sh
index 45499988f266..69dd513f95c0 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-option.sh
+++ b/nixos/modules/installer/tools/nixos-option.sh
@@ -1,14 +1,7 @@
 #! @shell@ -e
 
-# Allow the location of NixOS sources and the system configuration
-# file to be overridden.
-
-: ${mountPoint=/mnt}
-: ${NIXOS_CONFIG=/etc/nixos/configuration.nix}
-export NIXOS_CONFIG
-
 usage () {
-    exec man nixos-rebuild
+    exec man nixos-option
     exit 1
 }
 
@@ -20,7 +13,6 @@ desc=false
 defs=false
 value=false
 xml=false
-install=false
 verbose=false
 
 option=""
@@ -38,7 +30,6 @@ for arg; do
             -d*) longarg="$longarg --description";;
             -v*) longarg="$longarg --value";;
             -l*) longarg="$longarg --lookup";;
-            -i*) longarg="$longarg --install";;
             -*) usage;;
           esac
           # remove the first letter option
@@ -53,7 +44,6 @@ for arg; do
         --value) value=true;;
         --lookup) defs=true;;
         --xml) xml=true;;
-        --install) install=true;;
         --verbose) verbose=true;;
         --help) usage;;
         -*) usage;;
@@ -81,16 +71,6 @@ if $xml; then
   defs=true
 fi
 
-# --install cannot be used with -d -v -l without option name.
-if $value || $desc || $defs && $install && test -z "$option"; then
-  usage
-fi
-
-generate=false
-if ! $defs && ! $desc && ! $value && $install && test -z "$option"; then
-  generate=true
-fi
-
 if ! $defs && ! $desc; then
   value=true
 fi
@@ -154,122 +134,6 @@ nixMap() {
   done
 }
 
-if $install; then
-  NIXOS_CONFIG="$mountPoint$NIXOS_CONFIG"
-fi
-
-if $generate; then
-  mkdir -p $(dirname "$NIXOS_CONFIG")
-
-  # Scan the hardware and add the result to /etc/nixos/hardware-scan.nix.
-  hardware_config="${NIXOS_CONFIG%/configuration.nix}/hardware-configuration.nix"
-  if test -e "$hardware_config"; then
-    echo "A hardware configuration file exists, generation skipped."
-  else
-    echo "Generating a hardware configuration file in $hardware_config..."
-    nixos-hardware-scan > "$hardware_config"
-  fi
-
-  if test -e "$NIXOS_CONFIG"; then
-    echo 1>&2 "error: Cannot generate a template configuration because a configuration file exists."
-    exit 1
-  fi
-
-  nl="
-"
-  if test -e /sys/firmware/efi/efivars; then
-    l1="  # Use the gummiboot efi boot loader."
-    l2="  boot.loader.grub.enable = false;"
-    l3="  boot.loader.gummiboot.enable = true;"
-    l4="  boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables = true;"
-    # !!! Remove me when nixos is on 3.10 or greater by default
-    l5="  # EFI booting requires kernel >= 3.10"
-    l6="  boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.linuxPackages_3_10;"
-    bootloader_config="$l1$nl$l2$nl$l3$nl$l4$nl$nl$l5$nl$l6"
-  else
-    l1="  # Use the Grub2 boot loader."
-    l2="  boot.loader.grub.enable = true;"
-    l3="  boot.loader.grub.version = 2;"
-    l4="  # Define on which hard drive you want to install Grub."
-    l5='  # boot.loader.grub.device = "/dev/sda";'
-    bootloader_config="$l1$nl$l2$nl$l3$nl$nl$l4$nl$l5"
-  fi
-
-  echo "Generating a basic configuration file in $NIXOS_CONFIG..."
-
-  # Generate a template configuration file where the user has to
-  # fill the gaps.
-  cat <<EOF > "$NIXOS_CONFIG"
-# Edit this configuration file to define what should be installed on
-# the system.  Help is available in the configuration.nix(5) man page
-# or the NixOS manual available on virtual console 8 (Alt+F8).
-
-{ config, pkgs, ... }:
-
-{
-  imports =
-    [ # Include the results of the hardware scan.
-      ./hardware-configuration.nix
-    ];
-
-  boot.initrd.kernelModules =
-    [ # Specify all kernel modules that are necessary for mounting the root
-      # filesystem.
-      # "xfs" "ata_piix"
-      # fbcon # Uncomment this when EFI booting to see the console before the root partition is mounted
-    ];
-    
-$bootloader_config
-
-  # networking.hostName = "nixos"; # Define your hostname.
-  # networking.wireless.enable = true;  # Enables Wireless.
-
-  # Add filesystem entries for each partition that you want to see
-  # mounted at boot time.  This should include at least the root
-  # filesystem.
-
-  # fileSystems."/".device = "/dev/disk/by-label/nixos";
-
-  # fileSystems."/data" =     # where you want to mount the device
-  #   { device = "/dev/sdb";  # the device
-  #     fsType = "ext3";      # the type of the partition
-  #     options = "data=journal";
-  #   };
-
-  # List swap partitions activated at boot time.
-  swapDevices =
-    [ # { device = "/dev/disk/by-label/swap"; }
-    ];
-
-  # Select internationalisation properties.
-  # i18n = {
-  #   consoleFont = "lat9w-16";
-  #   consoleKeyMap = "us";
-  #   defaultLocale = "en_US.UTF-8";
-  # };
-
-  # List services that you want to enable:
-
-  # Enable the OpenSSH daemon.
-  # services.openssh.enable = true;
-
-  # Enable CUPS to print documents.
-  # services.printing.enable = true;
-
-  # Enable the X11 windowing system.
-  # services.xserver.enable = true;
-  # services.xserver.layout = "us";
-  # services.xserver.xkbOptions = "eurosign:e";
-
-  # Enable the KDE Desktop Environment.
-  # services.xserver.displayManager.kdm.enable = true;
-  # services.xserver.desktopManager.kde4.enable = true;
-}
-EOF
-
-  exit 0
-fi;
-
 # This duplicates the work made below, but it is useful for processing
 # the output of nixos-option with other tools such as nixos-gui.
 if $xml; then