diff --git a/guix/build/utils.scm b/guix/build/utils.scm
index 47bcb3e8a1..86b7ca0155 100644
--- a/guix/build/utils.scm
+++ b/guix/build/utils.scm
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ (define-module (guix build utils)
             delete-file-recursively
             find-files
 
+            search-path-as-list
             set-path-environment-variable
             search-path-as-string->list
             list->search-path-as-string
diff --git a/guix/scripts/environment.scm b/guix/scripts/environment.scm
index 412b8be658..b3a79d9251 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/environment.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/environment.scm
@@ -45,9 +45,8 @@ (define (for-each-search-path proc inputs derivations pure?)
                (($ <search-path-specification>
                    variable directories separator)
                 (let* ((current (getenv variable))
-                       (path ((@@ (guix build utils) search-path-as-list)
-                              directories paths))
-                       (value (list->search-path-as-string path separator)))
+                       (path    (search-path-as-list directories paths))
+                       (value   (list->search-path-as-string path separator)))
                   (proc variable
                         (if (and current (not pure?))
                             (string-append value separator current)