diff --git a/guix/build-system/emacs.scm b/guix/build-system/emacs.scm
index 9a46ecfd26..02296829c6 100644
--- a/guix/build-system/emacs.scm
+++ b/guix/build-system/emacs.scm
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 ;;; along with GNU Guix.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 (define-module (guix build-system emacs)
+  #:use-module ((guix build emacs-build-system)
+                #:select (%default-include %default-exclude))
   #:use-module (guix store)
   #:use-module (guix utils)
   #:use-module (guix packages)
@@ -28,7 +30,10 @@ (define-module (guix build-system emacs)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-26)
   #:export (%emacs-build-system-modules
             emacs-build
-            emacs-build-system))
+            emacs-build-system)
+  #:re-export (%default-include         ;for convenience
+               %default-exclude))
+
 
 ;; Commentary:
 ;;
@@ -83,8 +88,8 @@ (define* (emacs-build store name inputs
                       (phases '(@ (guix build emacs-build-system)
                                   %standard-phases))
                       (outputs '("out"))
-                      (include ''("^[^/]*\\.el$" "^[^/]*\\.info$" "^doc/.*\\.info$"))
-                      (exclude ''("^\\.dir-locals\\.el$" "-pkg\\.el$" "^[^/]*tests?\\.el$"))
+                      (include (quote %default-include))
+                      (exclude (quote %default-exclude))
                       (search-paths '())
                       (system (%current-system))
                       (guile #f)
diff --git a/guix/build/emacs-build-system.scm b/guix/build/emacs-build-system.scm
index 50af4be363..bda699ddf4 100644
--- a/guix/build/emacs-build-system.scm
+++ b/guix/build/emacs-build-system.scm
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ (define-module (guix build emacs-build-system)
   #:use-module (ice-9 regex)
   #:use-module (ice-9 match)
   #:export (%standard-phases
+            %default-include
+            %default-exclude
             emacs-build))
 
 ;; Commentary:
@@ -42,6 +44,11 @@ (define-module (guix build emacs-build-system)
 ;; archive signature.
 (define %install-suffix "/share/emacs/site-lisp/guix.d")
 
+;; These are the default inclusion/exclusion regexps for the install phase.
+(define %default-include '("^[^/]*\\.el$" "^[^/]*\\.info$" "^doc/.*\\.info$"))
+(define %default-exclude '("^\\.dir-locals\\.el$" "-pkg\\.el$"
+                           "^[^/]*tests?\\.el$"))
+
 (define gnu:unpack (assoc-ref gnu:%standard-phases 'unpack))
 
 (define (store-file->elisp-source-file file)
@@ -96,8 +103,8 @@ (define* (patch-el-files #:key outputs #:allow-other-keys)
     #t))
 
 (define* (install #:key outputs
-                  (include '("^[^/]*\\.el$" "^[^/]*\\.info$" "^doc/.*\\.info$"))
-                  (exclude '("^\\.dir-locals\\.el$" "-pkg\\.el$" "^[^/]*tests?\\.el$"))
+                  (include %default-include)
+                  (exclude %default-exclude)
                   #:allow-other-keys)
   "Install the package contents."