diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/generic-extlinux-compatible/extlinux-conf-builder.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/generic-extlinux-compatible/extlinux-conf-builder.nix
index c5c250c14cea..576a07c1d272 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/generic-extlinux-compatible/extlinux-conf-builder.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/generic-extlinux-compatible/extlinux-conf-builder.nix
@@ -5,5 +5,4 @@ pkgs.substituteAll {
   isExecutable = true;
   path = [pkgs.coreutils pkgs.gnused pkgs.gnugrep];
   inherit (pkgs) bash;
-  kernelDTB = pkgs.stdenv.platform.kernelDTB or false;
 }
diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/generic-extlinux-compatible/extlinux-conf-builder.sh b/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/generic-extlinux-compatible/extlinux-conf-builder.sh
index 78a8e8fd658c..c780a89b102c 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/generic-extlinux-compatible/extlinux-conf-builder.sh
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/generic-extlinux-compatible/extlinux-conf-builder.sh
@@ -75,9 +75,10 @@ addEntry() {
 
     copyToKernelsDir "$path/kernel"; kernel=$result
     copyToKernelsDir "$path/initrd"; initrd=$result
-    if [ -n "@kernelDTB@" ]; then
-        # XXX UGLY: maybe the system config should have a top-level "dtbs" entry?
-        copyToKernelsDir $(readlink -m "$path/kernel/../dtbs"); dtbs=$result
+    # XXX UGLY: maybe the system config should have a top-level "dtbs" entry?
+    dtbDir=$(readlink -m "$path/kernel/../dtbs")
+    if [ -d "$dtbDir" ]; then
+        copyToKernelsDir "$dtbDir"; dtbs=$result
     fi
 
     timestampEpoch=$(stat -L -c '%Z' $path)
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ addEntry() {
     fi
     echo "  LINUX ../nixos/$(basename $kernel)"
     echo "  INITRD ../nixos/$(basename $initrd)"
-    if [ -n "@kernelDTB@" ]; then
+    if [ -d "$dtbDir" ]; then
         echo "  FDTDIR ../nixos/$(basename $dtbs)"
     fi
     echo "  APPEND systemConfig=$path init=$path/init $extraParams"