diff --git a/boot/init.sh b/boot/boot.sh
similarity index 65%
rename from boot/init.sh
rename to boot/boot.sh
index e34a516c6de..3f17ea32ac0 100644
--- a/boot/init.sh
+++ b/boot/boot.sh
@@ -16,15 +16,4 @@ mount -n -o remount,rw /dev/root /
 echo "mounting /mnt/host..."
 mount -n -t hostfs none /mnt/host
 
-echo "starting root shell..."
-
-@bash@/bin/sh
-
-echo "remounting / read-only..."
-mount -n -o remount,rw /dev/root / || echo "(failed)" # ignore errors
-
-echo "syncing..."
-sync || echo "(failed)" # ignore errors
-
-echo "shutting down..."
-halt -d -f
+echo "boot done."
diff --git a/boot/builder.sh b/boot/builder.sh
index a12da5342b1..902940dc907 100755
--- a/boot/builder.sh
+++ b/boot/builder.sh
@@ -5,14 +5,16 @@
 mkdir $out
 mkdir $out/bin
 
-sed \
-    -e "s^@bash\@^$bash^g" \
-    -e "s^@coreutils\@^$coreutils^g" \
-    -e "s^@findutils\@^$findutils^g" \
-    -e "s^@utillinux\@^$utillinux^g" \
-    -e "s^@sysvinit\@^$sysvinit^g" \
-    -e "s^@e2fsprogs\@^$e2fsprogs^g" \
-    -e "s^@nix\@^$nix^g" \
-    < $src > $out/bin/init
-
-chmod +x $out/bin/init
+for i in $boot $halt $login; do
+    dst=$out/bin/$(basename $i | cut -c34-)
+    sed \
+        -e "s^@bash\@^$bash^g" \
+        -e "s^@coreutils\@^$coreutils^g" \
+        -e "s^@findutils\@^$findutils^g" \
+        -e "s^@utillinux\@^$utillinux^g" \
+        -e "s^@sysvinit\@^$sysvinit^g" \
+        -e "s^@e2fsprogs\@^$e2fsprogs^g" \
+        -e "s^@nix\@^$nix^g" \
+        < $i > $dst
+    chmod +x $dst
+done
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/boot/default.nix b/boot/default.nix
index c49891d593f..8f6820c5e4a 100644
--- a/boot/default.nix
+++ b/boot/default.nix
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 {stdenv, bash, coreutils, findutils, utillinux, sysvinit, e2fsprogs, nix}:
 
 derivation {
-  name = "init";
+  name = "boot";
   system = stdenv.system;
   builder = ./builder.sh;
-  src = ./init.sh;
+  boot = ./boot.sh;
+  halt = ./halt.sh;
+  login = ./login.sh;
   inherit stdenv bash coreutils findutils utillinux sysvinit e2fsprogs nix;
 }
diff --git a/boot/halt.sh b/boot/halt.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..19e89045854
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boot/halt.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+#! @bash@/bin/sh -e
+
+export PATH=@nix@/bin:@bash@/bin:@coreutils@/bin:@findutils@/bin:@utillinux@/bin:@utillinux@/sbin:@sysvinit@/bin:@sysvinit@/sbin:@e2fsprogs@/bin:@e2fsprogs@/sbin
+
+echo "remounting / read-only..."
+mount -n -o remount,rw /dev/root / || echo "(failed)" # ignore errors
+
+echo "syncing..."
+sync || echo "(failed)" # ignore errors
+
+echo "shutting down..."
+halt -d -f
diff --git a/boot/login.sh b/boot/login.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..74e14b64de6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/boot/login.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#! @bash@/bin/sh -e
+
+tty=$1
+
+exec < $tty > $tty 2>&1
+
+export PATH=@nix@/bin:@bash@/bin:@coreutils@/bin:@findutils@/bin:@utillinux@/bin:@utillinux@/sbin:@sysvinit@/bin:@sysvinit@/sbin:@e2fsprogs@/bin:@e2fsprogs@/sbin
+
+echo
+echo "=== Welcome to Nix! ==="
+
+export HOME=/home/root
+cd $HOME
+
+exec @bash@/bin/sh
diff --git a/fill-disk.sh b/fill-disk.sh
index 8c9e3b6c8fd..b50088e16e0 100755
--- a/fill-disk.sh
+++ b/fill-disk.sh
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #! /bin/sh -e
 
 sysvinitPath=$1
-initPath=$2
+bootPath=$2
 
 make_dir() {
     mode=$1
@@ -66,7 +66,10 @@ ln -s $sysvinitPath/sbin/init $root/init
 echo setting up inittab...
 rm -f $root/etc/inittab
 echo "id:2:initdefault:" >> $root/etc/inittab
-echo "si::bootwait:$initPath/bin/init" >> $root/etc/inittab
+echo "si::bootwait:$bootPath/bin/boot.sh" >> $root/etc/inittab
+echo "ht:06:wait:$bootPath/bin/halt.sh" >> $root/etc/inittab
+echo "1:2345:respawn:$bootPath/bin/login.sh /dev/ttys/0" >> $root/etc/inittab
+echo "2:2345:respawn:$bootPath/bin/login.sh /dev/ttys/1" >> $root/etc/inittab
 
 echo unmounting...
 umount $root
diff --git a/make-disk.sh b/make-disk.sh
index 498753d6fbb..00e3cb28de1 100755
--- a/make-disk.sh
+++ b/make-disk.sh
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ done) < $storePaths > $successors
 # Location of sysvinit?
 sysvinitPath=$(nix-store -qn $(echo '(import ./pkgs.nix).sysvinit' | nix-instantiate -))
 
-# Location of Nix init?
-initPath=$(nix-store -qn $(echo '(import ./pkgs.nix).init' | nix-instantiate -))
+# Location of Nix boot scripts?
+bootPath=$(nix-store -qn $(echo '(import ./pkgs.nix).boot' | nix-instantiate -))
 
 # Fill the disk with the minimal Nix store.
 if ! test -d /tmp/mnt; then mkdir /tmp/mnt; fi
 linux ubd0=$image root=/dev/root rootflags=/ rootfstype=hostfs \
-  init="$(pwd)/fill-disk.sh $sysvinitPath $initPath"
+  init="$(pwd)/fill-disk.sh $sysvinitPath $bootPath"
diff --git a/pkgs.nix b/pkgs.nix
index d0314a6b300..d0df974d902 100644
--- a/pkgs.nix
+++ b/pkgs.nix
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ rec {
   inherit (import pkgs/system/i686-linux.nix)
     stdenv bash coreutils findutils utillinux sysvinit e2fsprogs nix;
 
-  init = (import ./init)
+  boot = (import ./boot)
     {inherit stdenv bash coreutils findutils utillinux sysvinit e2fsprogs nix;};
 
-  everything = [init sysvinit];
+  everything = [boot sysvinit];
 }