diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/impure.nix b/pkgs/top-level/impure.nix
index a9f21e45aed4..df462665dd16 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/impure.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/impure.nix
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ in
   # fix-point made by Nixpkgs.
   overlays ? let
       isDir = path: pathExists (path + "/.");
-      pathOverlays = try <nixpkgs-overlays> "";
+      pathOverlays = try (toString <nixpkgs-overlays>) "";
       homeOverlaysFile = homeDir + "/.config/nixpkgs/overlays.nix";
       homeOverlaysDir = homeDir + "/.config/nixpkgs/overlays";
       overlays = path: