diff --git a/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix b/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix
index 2b32c94262ed..b41049806186 100644
--- a/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix
+++ b/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix
@@ -255,6 +255,8 @@ let
       KillSignal=SIGHUP
     '';
 
+  makeJobScript = name: content: "${pkgs.writeScriptBin name content}/bin/${name}";
+
   serviceToUnit = name: def:
     { inherit (def) wantedBy;
 
@@ -274,14 +276,14 @@ let
           ${concatMapStrings (n: "Environment=${n}=${getAttr n def.environment}\n") (attrNames def.environment)}
           
           ${optionalString (def.preStart != "") ''
-            ExecStartPre=${pkgs.writeScript "${name}-prestart.sh" ''
+            ExecStartPre=${makeJobScript "${name}-prestart.sh" ''
               #! ${pkgs.stdenv.shell} -e
               ${def.preStart}
             ''}
           ''}
 
           ${optionalString (def.script != "") ''
-            ExecStart=${pkgs.writeScript "${name}.sh" ''
+            ExecStart=${makeJobScript "${name}.sh" ''
               #! ${pkgs.stdenv.shell} -e
               ${def.script}
             ''}
diff --git a/modules/system/upstart/upstart.nix b/modules/system/upstart/upstart.nix
index de60f693e831..cbefad214148 100644
--- a/modules/system/upstart/upstart.nix
+++ b/modules/system/upstart/upstart.nix
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ let
   groupExists = g:
     (g == "") || any (gg: gg.name == g) (attrValues config.users.extraGroups);
 
+  makeJobScript = name: content: "${pkgs.writeScriptBin name content}/bin/${name}";
+
   # From a job description, generate an systemd unit file.
   makeUnit = job:
 
@@ -20,13 +22,13 @@ let
 
       env = config.system.upstartEnvironment // job.environment;
 
-      preStartScript = pkgs.writeScript "${job.name}-pre-start.sh"
+      preStartScript = makeJobScript "${job.name}-pre-start.sh"
         ''
           #! ${pkgs.stdenv.shell} -e
           ${job.preStart}
         '';
 
-      startScript = pkgs.writeScript "${job.name}-start.sh"
+      startScript = makeJobScript "${job.name}-start.sh"
         ''
           #! ${pkgs.stdenv.shell} -e
           ${if job.script != "" then job.script else ''
@@ -34,19 +36,19 @@ let
           ''}
         '';
 
-      postStartScript = pkgs.writeScript "${job.name}-post-start.sh"
+      postStartScript = makeJobScript "${job.name}-post-start.sh"
         ''
           #! ${pkgs.stdenv.shell} -e
           ${job.postStart}
         '';
 
-      preStopScript = pkgs.writeScript "${job.name}-pre-stop.sh"
+      preStopScript = makeJobScript "${job.name}-pre-stop.sh"
         ''
           #! ${pkgs.stdenv.shell} -e
           ${job.preStop}
         '';
 
-      postStopScript = pkgs.writeScript "${job.name}-post-stop.sh"
+      postStopScript = makeJobScript "${job.name}-post-stop.sh"
         ''
           #! ${pkgs.stdenv.shell} -e
           ${job.postStop}