diff --git a/guix/scripts/shell.scm b/guix/scripts/shell.scm
index 1a6df98829..84776af2f3 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/shell.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/shell.scm
@@ -256,6 +256,7 @@ (define (options-contain-payload? opts)
       ((('package . _) . _) #t)
       ((('load . _) . _) #t)
       ((('manifest . _) . _) #t)
+      ((('profile . _) . _) #t)
       ((('expression . _) . _) #t)
       ((_ . rest) (options-contain-payload? rest))))