diff --git a/gnu/build/image.scm b/gnu/build/image.scm
index b37ea9332a..49faeab466 100644
--- a/gnu/build/image.scm
+++ b/gnu/build/image.scm
@@ -155,6 +155,8 @@ (define* (initialize-root-partition root
                                     #:key
                                     bootcfg
                                     bootcfg-location
+                                    bootloader-package
+                                    bootloader-installer
                                     (deduplicate? #t)
                                     references-graphs
                                     (register-closures? #t)
@@ -178,6 +180,9 @@ (define* (initialize-root-partition root
                                   #:deduplicate? deduplicate?))
               references-graphs))
 
+  (when bootloader-installer
+    (display "installing bootloader...\n")
+    (bootloader-installer bootloader-package #f root))
   (when bootcfg
     (install-boot-config bootcfg bootcfg-location root)))
 
diff --git a/gnu/system/image.scm b/gnu/system/image.scm
index 92b3f4424e..ece2d02f51 100644
--- a/gnu/system/image.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/image.scm
@@ -235,7 +235,9 @@ (define (partition-image partition)
                               #:deduplicate? #f
                               #:system-directory #$os
                               #:bootloader-package
-                              #$(bootloader-package bootloader)
+                              #+(bootloader-package bootloader)
+                              #:bootloader-installer
+                              #+(bootloader-installer bootloader)
                               #:bootcfg #$bootcfg
                               #:bootcfg-location
                               #$(bootloader-configuration-file bootloader)))))