diff --git a/gnu/machine/ssh.scm b/gnu/machine/ssh.scm
index 3a0116ac0d..fae42ad3ce 100644
--- a/gnu/machine/ssh.scm
+++ b/gnu/machine/ssh.scm
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ (define not-config?
     (('gnu _ ...) #t)
     (_ #f)))
 
-(define (machine-boot-parameters machine)
+(define (machine->boot-alternatives machine)
   "Monadic procedure returning a list of 'boot-parameters' for the generations
 of MACHINE's system profile, ordered from most recent to oldest."
   (define remote-exp
@@ -503,14 +503,14 @@ (define system (machine-ssh-configuration-system config))
                                   (machine-become-command machine)))
 
   (mlet %store-monad ((_ (check-deployment-sanity machine))
-                      (boot-parameters (machine-boot-parameters machine)))
+                      (boot-alternatives (machine->boot-alternatives machine)))
     ;; Make sure code that check %CURRENT-SYSTEM, such as
     ;; %BASE-INITRD-MODULES, gets to see the right value.
     (parameterize ((%current-system system)
                    (%current-target-system #f))
       (let* ((os (machine-operating-system machine))
              (eval (cut machine-remote-eval machine <>))
-             (menu-entries (map boot-parameters->menu-entry boot-parameters))
+             (menu-entries (map boot-parameters->menu-entry boot-alternatives))
              (bootloader-configuration (operating-system-bootloader os))
              (bootcfg (operating-system-bootcfg os menu-entries)))
         (define-syntax-rule (eval/error-handling condition handler ...)
@@ -581,19 +581,19 @@ (define target-generation
   (define roll-back-failure
     (condition (&message (message (G_ "could not roll-back machine")))))
 
-  (mlet* %store-monad ((boot-parameters (machine-boot-parameters machine))
-                       (_ -> (if (< (length boot-parameters) 2)
+  (mlet* %store-monad ((boot-alternatives (machine->boot-alternatives machine))
+                       (_ -> (if (< (length boot-alternatives) 2)
                                  (raise roll-back-failure)))
                        (entries -> (map boot-parameters->menu-entry
-                                        (list (second boot-parameters))))
+                                        (list (second boot-alternatives))))
                        (locale -> (boot-parameters-locale
-                                   (second boot-parameters)))
+                                   (second boot-alternatives)))
                        (crypto-dev -> (boot-parameters-store-crypto-devices
-                                       (second boot-parameters)))
+                                       (second boot-alternatives)))
                        (store-dir -> (boot-parameters-store-directory-prefix
-                                      (second boot-parameters)))
+                                      (second boot-alternatives)))
                        (old-entries -> (map boot-parameters->menu-entry
-                                            (drop boot-parameters 2)))
+                                            (drop boot-alternatives 2)))
                        (bootloader -> (operating-system-bootloader
                                        (machine-operating-system machine)))
                        (bootcfg (lower-object
diff --git a/guix/scripts/system.scm b/guix/scripts/system.scm
index 84eb99b938..cdd78a7849 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/system.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/system.scm
@@ -328,9 +328,9 @@ (define-syntax-rule (unless-file-not-found exp)
           #f
           (apply throw args)))))
 
-(define* (profile-boot-parameters #:optional (profile %system-profile)
-                                  (numbers
-                                   (reverse (generation-numbers profile))))
+(define* (profile->boot-alternatives #:optional (profile %system-profile)
+                                     (numbers
+                                      (reverse (generation-numbers profile))))
   "Return a list of 'boot-parameters' for the generations of PROFILE specified
 by NUMBERS, which is a list of generation numbers. The list is ordered from
 the most recent to the oldest profiles."
@@ -395,18 +395,19 @@ (define (reinstall-bootloader store number)
                              (bootloader bootloader)))
 
          ;; Make the specified system generation the default entry.
-         (params (first (profile-boot-parameters %system-profile
-                                                 (list number))))
+         (params (first (profile->boot-alternatives %system-profile
+                                                    (list number))))
          (locale (boot-parameters-locale params))
          (store-crypto-devices (boot-parameters-store-crypto-devices params))
          (store-directory-prefix
           (boot-parameters-store-directory-prefix params))
          (old-generations
           (delv number (reverse (generation-numbers %system-profile))))
-         (old-params (profile-boot-parameters
-                       %system-profile old-generations))
+         (previous-boot-alternatives (profile->boot-alternatives
+                                      %system-profile old-generations))
          (entries (list (boot-parameters->menu-entry params)))
-         (old-entries (map boot-parameters->menu-entry old-params)))
+         (old-entries (map boot-parameters->menu-entry
+                           previous-boot-alternatives)))
     (run-with-store store
       (mlet* %store-monad
           ((bootcfg (lower-object
@@ -823,7 +824,7 @@ (define bootcfg
           os
           (if (eq? action 'init)
               '()
-              (map boot-parameters->menu-entry (profile-boot-parameters))))))
+              (map boot-parameters->menu-entry (profile->boot-alternatives))))))
 
   (when (eq? action 'reconfigure)
     (maybe-suggest-running-guix-pull)