diff --git a/test/boot-stage-1-init.sh b/test/boot-stage-1-init.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..da5d4e56f76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/boot-stage-1-init.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#! @shell@
+
+# Print a greeting.
+cat <<EOF
+
+<<< NixOS Stage 1 >>>
+
+EOF
+
+# Set the PATH.
+export PATH=/empty
+for i in @path@; do
+    PATH=$PATH:$i/bin
+done
+
+# Start an interactive shell.
+exec @shell@
diff --git a/test/boot-stage-1.nix b/test/boot-stage-1.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..da053a9e6c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/boot-stage-1.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# This Nix expression builds the script that performs the first stage
+# of booting the system: it loads the modules necessary to mount the
+# root file system, then calls /init in the root file system to start
+# the second boot stage.  The closure of the result of this expression
+# is supposed to be put into an initial RAM disk (initrd).
+
+{genericSubstituter, shell, staticTools}:
+
+genericSubstituter {
+  src = ./boot-stage-1-init.sh;
+  isExecutable = true;
+  inherit shell;
+  path = [
+    staticTools
+  ];
+}
diff --git a/test/isolinux.cfg b/test/isolinux.cfg
index be947a949f7..ff19e84c098 100644
--- a/test/isolinux.cfg
+++ b/test/isolinux.cfg
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@ prompt 1
 timeout 60
 label linux
   kernel vmlinuz
-  append initrd=initrd
+  append initrd=initrd selinux=0 apm=on acpi=on
diff --git a/test/rescue-system.nix b/test/rescue-system.nix
index f652e429b77..994723eef1f 100644
--- a/test/rescue-system.nix
+++ b/test/rescue-system.nix
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ rec {
 
   pkgs = import ./pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix {};
 
+  pkgsDiet = import ./pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix {
+    bootStdenv = pkgs.useDietLibC pkgs.stdenv;
+  };
+
   stdenvLinuxStuff = import ./pkgs/stdenv/linux {
     system = pkgs.stdenv.system;
     allPackages = import ./pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix;
@@ -9,16 +13,27 @@ rec {
 
   bash = pkgs.bash;
 
+
+  # The init script of boot stage 1 (loading kernel modules for
+  # mounting the root FS).
+  bootStage1 = import ./boot-stage-1.nix {
+    inherit (pkgs) genericSubstituter;
+    shell = stdenvLinuxStuff.bootstrapTools.bash;
+    staticTools = stdenvLinuxStuff.staticTools;
+  };
   
+
+  # The closure of the init script of boot stage 1 is what we put in
+  # the initial RAM disk.
   initialRamdisk = import ./make-initrd.nix {
     inherit (pkgs) stdenv cpio;
-    packages = [
-      stdenvLinuxStuff.staticTools
-    ];
-    init = stdenvLinuxStuff.bootstrapTools.bash;
+    packages = [];
+    init = bootStage1;
   };
 
-  
+
+  # Create an ISO image containing the isolinux boot loader, the
+  # kernel, and initrd produced above.
   rescueCD = import ./make-iso9660-image.nix {
     inherit (pkgs) stdenv cdrtools;
     isoName = "nixos.iso";