diff --git a/guix/profiles.scm b/guix/profiles.scm
index ea8bc6e593..67d90532c1 100644
--- a/guix/profiles.scm
+++ b/guix/profiles.scm
@@ -362,9 +362,16 @@ (define lower-pair
            #t
            lst)))
 
+(define (default-properties package)
+  "Return the default properties of a manifest entry for PACKAGE."
+  ;; Preserve transformation options by default.
+  (match (assq-ref (package-properties package) 'transformations)
+    (#f '())
+    (transformations `((transformations . ,transformations)))))
+
 (define* (package->manifest-entry package #:optional (output "out")
                                   #:key (parent (delay #f))
-                                  (properties '()))
+                                  (properties (default-properties package)))
   "Return a manifest entry for the OUTPUT of package PACKAGE."
   ;; For each dependency, keep a promise pointing to its "parent" entry.
   (letrec* ((deps  (map (match-lambda
diff --git a/guix/scripts/pack.scm b/guix/scripts/pack.scm
index 8ecdcb823f..b653138f2c 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/pack.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/pack.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2017, 2018 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;; Copyright © 2018 Konrad Hinsen <konrad.hinsen@fastmail.net>
 ;;; Copyright © 2018 Chris Marusich <cmmarusich@gmail.com>
@@ -1170,24 +1170,19 @@ (define with-provenance
                manifest))
             identity))
 
-      (define (with-transformations manifest)
-        (map-manifest-entries manifest-entry-with-transformations
-                              manifest))
-
       (with-provenance
-       (with-transformations
-        (cond
-         ((and (not (null? manifests)) (not (null? packages)))
-          (leave (G_ "both a manifest and a package list were given~%")))
-         ((not (null? manifests))
-          (concatenate-manifests
-           (map (lambda (file)
-                  (let ((user-module (make-user-module
-                                      '((guix profiles) (gnu)))))
-                    (load* file user-module)))
-                manifests)))
-         (else
-          (packages->manifest packages)))))))
+       (cond
+        ((and (not (null? manifests)) (not (null? packages)))
+         (leave (G_ "both a manifest and a package list were given~%")))
+        ((not (null? manifests))
+         (concatenate-manifests
+          (map (lambda (file)
+                 (let ((user-module (make-user-module
+                                     '((guix profiles) (gnu)))))
+                   (load* file user-module)))
+               manifests)))
+        (else
+         (packages->manifest packages))))))
 
   (with-error-handling
     (with-store store
diff --git a/guix/scripts/package.scm b/guix/scripts/package.scm
index 8234a1703d..fc5bf8137b 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/package.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/package.scm
@@ -235,14 +235,12 @@ (define (upgrade entry transform)
                (case (version-compare candidate-version version)
                  ((>)
                   (manifest-transaction-install-entry
-                   (manifest-entry-with-transformations
-                    (package->manifest-entry* pkg output))
+                   (package->manifest-entry* pkg output)
                    transaction))
                  ((<)
                   transaction)
                  ((=)
-                  (let* ((new (manifest-entry-with-transformations
-                               (package->manifest-entry* pkg output))))
+                  (let* ((new (package->manifest-entry* pkg output)))
                     ;; Here we want to determine whether the NEW actually
                     ;; differs from ENTRY, but we need to intercept
                     ;; 'build-things' calls because they would prevent us from
diff --git a/tests/guix-package.sh b/tests/guix-package.sh
index 7eaad6823f..39e2b514c3 100644
--- a/tests/guix-package.sh
+++ b/tests/guix-package.sh
@@ -386,6 +386,21 @@ guix package -I
 # '--dry-run' is passed.
 GUIX_BUILD_OPTIONS="--no-grafts"
 
+# Install using the "imperative model", export a manifest, instantiate it, and
+# make sure we get the same profile.
+guix package --bootstrap -i guile-bootstrap --without-tests=foo
+profile_directory="$(readlink -f "$default_profile")"
+guix package --export-manifest > "$tmpfile"
+grep 'without-tests.*foo' "$tmpfile"
+guix package --rollback --bootstrap
+guix package --bootstrap -m "$tmpfile"
+test "$(readlink -f "$default_profile")" = "$profile_directory"
+guix package --export-manifest > "$tmpfile.2nd"
+cmp "$tmpfile" "$tmpfile.2nd"
+
+rm -f "$tmpfile.2nd"
+guix package --rollback --bootstrap
+
 # Applying a manifest file.
 cat > "$module_dir/manifest.scm"<<EOF
 (use-package-modules bootstrap)
diff --git a/tests/transformations.scm b/tests/transformations.scm
index 7877029486..902bd45a6a 100644
--- a/tests/transformations.scm
+++ b/tests/transformations.scm
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ (define-module (test-transformations)
   #:use-module (guix tests)
   #:use-module (guix store)
   #:use-module ((guix gexp) #:select (lower-object))
+  #:use-module ((guix profiles)
+                #:select (package->manifest-entry
+                          manifest-entry-properties))
   #:use-module (guix derivations)
   #:use-module (guix packages)
   #:use-module (guix git-download)
@@ -413,6 +416,13 @@ (define (package-name* obj)
                    `((with-latest . "foo")))))
           (package-version (t p)))))
 
+(test-equal "options->transformation + package->manifest-entry"
+  '((transformations . ((without-tests . "foo"))))
+  (let* ((p (dummy-package "foo"))
+         (t (options->transformation '((without-tests . "foo"))))
+         (e (package->manifest-entry (t p))))
+    (manifest-entry-properties e)))
+
 (test-end)
 
 ;;; Local Variables: