diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/default.nix b/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/default.nix
index 37d62891ecfc..676fbd006881 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/cc-wrapper/default.nix
@@ -275,9 +275,9 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
       # Propagate the wrapped cc so that if you install the wrapper,
       # you get tools like gcov, the manpages, etc. as well (including
       # for binutils and Glibc).
-      printLines ${cc} ${cc.man or ""} ${binutils_bin} ${if libc == null then "" else libc_bin} > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
+      echo ${cc} ${cc.man or ""} ${binutils_bin} ${if libc == null then "" else libc_bin} > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
 
-      printLines ${toString extraPackages} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+      echo ${toString extraPackages} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
     ''
 
     + optionalString (targetPlatform.isSunOS && nativePrefix != "") ''
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper-old/builder.sh b/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper-old/builder.sh
index 4f141f6b8f21..a8e8a370ec0d 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper-old/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/gcc-wrapper-old/builder.sh
@@ -211,5 +211,5 @@ cp -p $utils $out/nix-support/utils.sh
 # tools like gcov, the manpages, etc. as well (including for binutils
 # and Glibc).
 if test -z "$nativeTools"; then
-    printLines $gcc $binutils $libc $libc_bin > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
+    echo $gcc $binutils $libc $libc_bin > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
 fi
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/setup-hooks/multiple-outputs.sh b/pkgs/build-support/setup-hooks/multiple-outputs.sh
index 9abf50f6ea47..62a6491b8dc0 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/setup-hooks/multiple-outputs.sh
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/setup-hooks/multiple-outputs.sh
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ _multioutPropagateDev() {
 
     mkdir -p "${!propagaterOutput}"/nix-support
     for output in $propagatedBuildOutputs; do
-        echo "${!output}" >> "${!propagaterOutput}"/nix-support/$propagatedBuildInputsFile
+        echo -n " ${!output}" >> "${!propagaterOutput}"/nix-support/$propagatedBuildInputsFile
     done
 }
 
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix b/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix
index 1ee1fe8298fd..4debd9636396 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders.nix
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ rec {
         mkdir -p $out/nix-support
         cp ${script} $out/nix-support/setup-hook
       '' + lib.optionalString (deps != []) ''
-        printLines ${toString deps} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+        echo ${toString deps} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
       '' + lib.optionalString (substitutions != {}) ''
         substituteAll ${script} $out/nix-support/setup-hook
       '');
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/kde-4.14/kde-package/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/kde-4.14/kde-package/default.nix
index 3637d9f89cb2..d5de6f5f6bc1 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/kde-4.14/kde-package/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/kde-4.14/kde-package/default.nix
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ rec {
        };})
         ''
           mkdir -pv $out/nix-support
-          printLines ${toString list} | tee $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
+          echo "${toString list}" | tee $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
         '';
 
   # Given manifest module data, return the module
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/8.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/8.nix
index 691829c7788a..51effd2c7841 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/8.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/8.nix
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ let
       # any package that depends on the JRE has $CLASSPATH set up
       # properly.
       mkdir -p $out/nix-support
-      printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+      echo -n "${setJavaClassPath}" > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
       install_name_tool -change /usr/X11/lib/libfreetype.6.dylib ${freetype}/lib/libfreetype.6.dylib $out/jre/lib/libfontmanager.dylib
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/default.nix
index 8ce0835fcb69..10a9eb2b3666 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk-darwin/default.nix
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ let
       # any package that depends on the JRE has $CLASSPATH set up
       # properly.
       mkdir -p $out/nix-support
-      printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+      echo -n "${setJavaClassPath}" > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
       install_name_tool -change /usr/X11/lib/libfreetype.6.dylib ${freetype}/lib/libfreetype.6.dylib $out/jre/lib/libfontmanager.dylib
 
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/7.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/7.nix
index 9ef7d26b2efe..6dcbb0a330f1 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/7.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/7.nix
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ let
       # any package that depends on the JRE has $CLASSPATH set up
       # properly.
       mkdir -p $jre/nix-support
-      printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $jre/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+      echo -n "${setJavaClassPath}" > $jre/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
       # Set JAVA_HOME automatically.
       mkdir -p $out/nix-support
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/8.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/8.nix
index 7c50872ebe59..7977881d5f6d 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/8.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/openjdk/8.nix
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ let
       # any package that depends on the JRE has $CLASSPATH set up
       # properly.
       mkdir -p $jre/nix-support
-      printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $jre/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+      echo -n "${setJavaClassPath}" > $jre/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
       # Set JAVA_HOME automatically.
       mkdir -p $out/nix-support
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/oraclejdk/jdk-linux-base.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/oraclejdk/jdk-linux-base.nix
index 08fd724f7733..6db0029730a0 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/oraclejdk/jdk-linux-base.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/oraclejdk/jdk-linux-base.nix
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ let result = stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     ln -s $jrePath/lib/${architecture}/libnpjp2.so $jrePath/lib/${architecture}/plugins
 
     mkdir -p $out/nix-support
-    printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+    echo -n "${setJavaClassPath}" > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
     # Set JAVA_HOME automatically.
     cat <<EOF >> $out/nix-support/setup-hook
diff --git a/pkgs/development/compilers/zulu/default.nix b/pkgs/development/compilers/zulu/default.nix
index 03be4ee8a0b9..c4cdf70f14ac 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/compilers/zulu/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/compilers/zulu/default.nix
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ in stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     find $out -name "*.so" -exec patchelf --set-rpath "$rpath" {} \;
 
     mkdir -p $out/nix-support
-    printLines ${setJavaClassPath} > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
+    echo -n "${setJavaClassPath}" > $out/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs
 
     # Set JAVA_HOME automatically.
     cat <<EOF >> $out/nix-support/setup-hook
diff --git a/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/generic-builder.nix b/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/generic-builder.nix
index e097fd5af33e..97a3adaf220f 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/generic-builder.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/haskell-modules/generic-builder.nix
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation ({
     ${optionalString isGhcjs ''
       for exeDir in "$out/bin/"*.jsexe; do
         exe="''${exeDir%.jsexe}"
-        printLines '#!${nodejs}/bin/node' > "$exe"
+        printf '%s\n' '#!${nodejs}/bin/node' > "$exe"
         cat "$exeDir/all.js" >> "$exe"
         chmod +x "$exe"
       done
diff --git a/pkgs/misc/misc.nix b/pkgs/misc/misc.nix
index 6e8c6f4486f1..6357c4e6f905 100644
--- a/pkgs/misc/misc.nix
+++ b/pkgs/misc/misc.nix
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ in
   */
   collection = {list, name} : runCommand "collection-${name}" {} ''
     mkdir -p $out/nix-support
-    printLines ${builtins.toString list} > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
+    echo ${builtins.toString list} > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
   '';
 
   /* creates a derivation symlinking references C/C++ libs into one include and lib directory called $out/cdt-envs/${name}
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/builder.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/builder.sh
index f8c0fd44ac78..a46c46c2db50 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/builder.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/builder.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+export PATH=
 for i in $initialPath; do
     if [ "$i" = / ]; then i=; fi
     PATH=$PATH${PATH:+:}$i/bin
@@ -14,6 +15,4 @@ cat "$setup" >> $out/setup
 # Allow the user to install stdenv using nix-env and get the packages
 # in stdenv.
 mkdir $out/nix-support
-if [ "$propagatedUserEnvPkgs" ]; then
-    printf '%s\n' $propagatedUserEnvPkgs > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
-fi
+echo $propagatedUserEnvPkgs > $out/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
index de94565ed6d7..e5d2ba8682de 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/generic/setup.sh
@@ -215,11 +215,6 @@ isScript() {
     if [[ "$magic" =~ \#! ]]; then return 0; else return 1; fi
 }
 
-# printf unfortunately will print a trailing newline regardless
-printLines() {
-    [[ $# -gt 0 ]] || return 0
-    printf '%s\n' "$@"
-}
 
 ######################################################################
 # Initialisation.
@@ -305,12 +300,9 @@ findInputs() {
     fi
 
     if [ -f "$pkg/nix-support/$propagatedBuildInputsFile" ]; then
-        local fd pkgNext
-        exec {fd}<"$pkg/nix-support/$propagatedBuildInputsFile"
-        while IFS= read -r -u $fd pkgNext; do
-            findInputs "$pkgNext" $var $propagatedBuildInputsFile
+        for i in $(cat "$pkg/nix-support/$propagatedBuildInputsFile"); do
+            findInputs "$i" $var $propagatedBuildInputsFile
         done
-        exec {fd}<&-
     fi
 }
 
@@ -802,17 +794,17 @@ fixupPhase() {
         fi
         if [ -n "$propagated" ]; then
             mkdir -p "${!outputDev}/nix-support"
-            printLines $propagated > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs"
+            echo "$propagated" > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs"
         fi
     else
         if [ -n "$propagatedBuildInputs" ]; then
             mkdir -p "${!outputDev}/nix-support"
-            printLines $propagatedBuildInputs > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-build-inputs"
+            echo "$propagatedBuildInputs" > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-build-inputs"
         fi
 
         if [ -n "$propagatedNativeBuildInputs" ]; then
             mkdir -p "${!outputDev}/nix-support"
-            printLines $propagatedNativeBuildInputs > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs"
+            echo "$propagatedNativeBuildInputs" > "${!outputDev}/nix-support/propagated-native-build-inputs"
         fi
     fi
 
@@ -825,7 +817,7 @@ fixupPhase() {
 
     if [ -n "$propagatedUserEnvPkgs" ]; then
         mkdir -p "${!outputBin}/nix-support"
-        printLines $propagatedUserEnvPkgs > "${!outputBin}/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages"
+        echo "$propagatedUserEnvPkgs" > "${!outputBin}/nix-support/propagated-user-env-packages"
     fi
 
     runHook postFixup