diff --git a/guix/scripts/describe.scm b/guix/scripts/describe.scm
index fdff07d0e3..c1a20fe26c 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/describe.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/describe.scm
@@ -134,8 +134,10 @@ (define number
                     ;; Show most recently installed packages last.
                     (reverse
                      (manifest-entries
-                      (profile-manifest (generation-file-name profile
-                                                              number)))))))))
+                      (profile-manifest
+                       (if (zero? number)
+                           profile
+                           (generation-file-name profile number))))))))))
   (display-package-search-path fmt))
 
 
diff --git a/guix/scripts/pull.scm b/guix/scripts/pull.scm
index 976e054a84..c0686f16bf 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/pull.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/pull.scm
@@ -233,7 +233,9 @@ (define (display-profile-content profile number)
             ;; Show most recently installed packages last.
             (reverse
              (manifest-entries
-              (profile-manifest (generation-file-name profile number))))))
+              (profile-manifest (if (zero? number)
+                                    profile
+                                    (generation-file-name profile number)))))))
 
 (define (indented-string str indent)
   "Return STR with each newline preceded by IDENT spaces."