diff --git a/rootfs/install.sh b/rootfs/install.sh
index 402a4a1..b850129 100644
--- a/rootfs/install.sh
+++ b/rootfs/install.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 set -ex -o pipefail
 
 mkdir -p $out
+mkdir -p $out/etc $out/dev $out/proc $out/sys $out/tmp $out/root
+ln -sf ../usr/bin $out/bin
+ln -sf ../usr/bin $out/sbin
+ln -sf ../usr/lib $out/lib
+ln -sf ../usr/lib $out/lib64
+ln -sf ../proc/self/mounts $out/etc/mtab
 
 ### install systemd
 echo "Installing systemd"
diff --git a/utils/mkinitrd.nix b/utils/mkinitrd.nix
index 8aec407..47f7f30 100644
--- a/utils/mkinitrd.nix
+++ b/utils/mkinitrd.nix
@@ -21,12 +21,6 @@ pkgs.writeShellApplication {
     find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
 
     ### create directories
-    mkdir -p etc dev proc sys tmp root
-    ln -sf usr/bin bin
-    ln -sf usr/bin sbin
-    ln -sf usr/lib lib
-    ln -sf usr/lib lib64
-    ln -sf ../proc/self/mounts etc/mtab
     ln -sf ../usr/lib/systemd/systemd init
 
     # set default target to basic