diff --git a/HACKING b/HACKING
index 836ad51a32..7916fe2090 100644
--- a/HACKING
+++ b/HACKING
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ In that case, the easiest thing is to bootstrap the distro using
 binaries from Nixpkgs.
 
 To do that, you need to comment out the definitions of
-‘%bootstrap-guile’ and ‘%bootstrap-inputs’ in distro/packages/base.scm
+‘%bootstrap-guile’ and ‘%bootstrap-inputs’ in distro/packages/bootstrap.scm
 to force the use of Nixpkgs derivations.  For instance, when porting to
 ‘i686-linux’, you should redefine these variables along these lines:
 
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index 9b0240a95f..31fe66234a 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ MODULES =					\
   guix.scm					\
   distro.scm					\
   distro/packages/base.scm			\
+  distro/packages/bootstrap.scm			\
   distro/packages/guile.scm			\
   distro/packages/ld-wrapper.scm		\
   distro/packages/lout.scm			\
diff --git a/distro/packages/base.scm b/distro/packages/base.scm
index 218cbab973..6baafd904f 100644
--- a/distro/packages/base.scm
+++ b/distro/packages/base.scm
@@ -19,14 +19,12 @@
 
 (define-module (distro packages base)
   #:use-module (distro)
+  #:use-module (distro packages bootstrap)
   #:use-module (guix packages)
   #:use-module (guix ftp)
   #:use-module (guix http)
-  #:use-module (guix build-system)
   #:use-module (guix build-system gnu)
   #:use-module (guix build-system trivial)
-  #:use-module ((guix store) #:select (add-to-store add-text-to-store))
-  #:use-module ((guix derivations) #:select (derivation))
   #:use-module (guix utils)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-1)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-26)
@@ -692,12 +690,6 @@ BFD (Binary File Descriptor) library, `gprof', `nm', `strip', etc.")
    (license "GPLv3+")
    (home-page "http://www.gnu.org/software/binutils/")))
 
-(define (glibc-dynamic-linker system)
-  "Return the name of Glibc's dynamic linker for SYSTEM."
-  (cond ((string=? system "x86_64-linux") "/lib/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2")
-        ((string=? system "i686-linux") "/lib/ld-linux.so.2")
-        (else (error "dynamic linker name not known for this system" system))))
-
 (define-public gcc-4.7
   (let ((stripped? #t))                         ; TODO: make this a parameter
     (package
@@ -1377,311 +1369,6 @@ with the Linux kernel.")
 ;;; Bootstrap packages.
 ;;;
 
-(define %bootstrap-guile
-  ;; The Guile used to run the build scripts of the initial derivations.
-  ;; It is just unpacked from a tarball containing a pre-built binary.
-  ;; This is typically built using %GUILE-BOOTSTRAP-TARBALL below.
-  ;;
-  ;; XXX: Would need libc's `libnss_files2.so' for proper `getaddrinfo'
-  ;; support (for /etc/services).
-  (let ((raw (build-system
-              (name "raw")
-              (description "Raw build system with direct store access")
-              (build (lambda* (store name source inputs #:key outputs system)
-                       (define (->store file)
-                         (add-to-store store file #t #t "sha256"
-                                       (or (search-bootstrap-binary file
-                                                                    system)
-                                           (error "bootstrap binary not found"
-                                                  file system))))
-
-                       (let* ((tar   (->store "tar"))
-                              (xz    (->store "xz"))
-                              (mkdir (->store "mkdir"))
-                              (bash  (->store "bash"))
-                              (guile (->store "guile-bootstrap-2.0.6.tar.xz"))
-                              (builder
-                               (add-text-to-store store
-                                                  "build-bootstrap-guile.sh"
-                                                  (format #f "
-echo \"unpacking bootstrap Guile to '$out'...\"
-~a $out
-cd $out
-~a -dc < ~a | ~a xv
-
-# Sanity check.
-$out/bin/guile --version~%"
-                                                          mkdir xz guile tar)
-                                                  (list mkdir xz guile tar))))
-                         (derivation store name system
-                                     bash `(,builder) '()
-                                     `((,bash) (,builder)))))))))
-   (package
-     (name "guile-bootstrap")
-     (version "2.0")
-     (source #f)
-     (build-system raw)
-     (synopsis "Bootstrap Guile")
-     (description "Pre-built Guile for bootstrapping purposes.")
-     (home-page #f)
-     (license "LGPLv3+"))))
-
-(define (bootstrap-origin source)
-  "Return a variant of SOURCE, an <origin> instance, whose method uses
-%BOOTSTRAP-GUILE to do its job."
-  (define (boot fetch)
-    (lambda* (store url hash-algo hash
-              #:optional name #:key system)
-      (fetch store url hash-algo hash
-             #:guile %bootstrap-guile
-             #:system system)))
-
-  (let ((orig-method (origin-method source)))
-    (origin (inherit source)
-      (method (cond ((eq? orig-method http-fetch)
-                     (boot http-fetch))
-                    ((eq? orig-method ftp-fetch)
-                     (boot ftp-fetch))
-                    (else orig-method))))))
-
-(define (package-from-tarball name* source* program-to-test description*)
-  "Return a package that correspond to the extraction of SOURCE*.
-PROGRAM-TO-TEST is a program to run after extraction of SOURCE*, to
-check whether everything is alright."
-  (package
-    (name name*)
-    (version "0")
-    (source #f)
-    (build-system trivial-build-system)
-    (arguments
-     `(#:guile ,%bootstrap-guile
-       #:modules ((guix build utils))
-       #:builder
-       (let ((out     (assoc-ref %outputs "out"))
-             (tar     (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tar"))
-             (xz      (assoc-ref %build-inputs "xz"))
-             (tarball (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tarball")))
-         (use-modules (guix build utils))
-
-         (mkdir out)
-         (copy-file tarball "binaries.tar.xz")
-         (system* xz "-d" "binaries.tar.xz")
-         (let ((builddir (getcwd)))
-           (with-directory-excursion out
-             (and (zero? (system* tar "xvf"
-                                  (string-append builddir "/binaries.tar")))
-                  (zero? (system* (string-append "bin/" ,program-to-test)
-                                  "--version"))))))))
-    (inputs
-     `(("tar" ,(lambda (system)
-                 (search-bootstrap-binary "tar" system)))
-       ("xz"  ,(lambda (system)
-                 (search-bootstrap-binary "xz" system)))
-       ("tarball" ,(lambda (system)
-                     (bootstrap-origin (source* system))))))
-    (synopsis description*)
-    (description #f)
-    (home-page #f)))
-
-(define %bootstrap-base-url
-  ;; This is where the initial binaries come from.
-  "http://www.fdn.fr/~lcourtes/software/guix/packages")
-
-(define %bootstrap-coreutils&co
-  (package-from-tarball "bootstrap-binaries"
-                        (lambda (system)
-                          (origin
-                           (method http-fetch)
-                           (uri (string-append
-                                 %bootstrap-base-url "/"
-                                 system "/static-binaries.tar.xz"))
-                           (sha256
-                            (match system
-                              ("x86_64-linux"
-                               (base32
-                                "0azisn8l2b3cvgni9k0ahzsxs5cxrj0hmf38zgpq3k6pggk3zbfm"))
-                              ("i686-linux"
-                               (base32
-                                "16v60frbh0naccanwxcxz0z3444dd8salbg8p7cp7vwz8245nhfk"))))))
-                        "true"                    ; the program to test
-                        "Bootstrap binaries of Coreutils, Awk, etc."))
-
-(define %bootstrap-binutils
-  (package-from-tarball "binutils-bootstrap"
-                        (lambda (system)
-                          (origin
-                           (method http-fetch)
-                           (uri (string-append
-                                 %bootstrap-base-url "/"
-                                 system "/binutils-2.22.tar.xz"))
-                           (sha256
-                            (match system
-                              ("x86_64-linux"
-                               (base32
-                                "1cz1rwqhswgrr14kzbkaj3k32kzgv2b6mmzvc6ssbbz8k2m8jmqa"))
-                              ("i686-linux"
-                               (base32
-                                "1crg5xsf4cxk249sg90h6fjhfkwj1s5dxvhwbym79g79ygbww1br"))))))
-                        "ld"                      ; the program to test
-                        "Bootstrap binaries of the GNU Binutils"))
-
-(define %bootstrap-glibc
-  ;; The initial libc.
-  (package
-    (name "glibc-bootstrap")
-    (version "0")
-    (source #f)
-    (build-system trivial-build-system)
-    (arguments
-     `(#:guile ,%bootstrap-guile
-       #:modules ((guix build utils))
-       #:builder
-       (let ((out     (assoc-ref %outputs "out"))
-             (tar     (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tar"))
-             (xz      (assoc-ref %build-inputs "xz"))
-             (tarball (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tarball")))
-         (use-modules (guix build utils))
-
-         (mkdir out)
-         (copy-file tarball "binaries.tar.xz")
-         (system* xz "-d" "binaries.tar.xz")
-         (let ((builddir (getcwd)))
-           (with-directory-excursion out
-             (system* tar "xvf"
-                      (string-append builddir
-                                     "/binaries.tar"))
-             (chmod "lib" #o755)
-
-             ;; Patch libc.so so it refers to the right path.
-             (substitute* "lib/libc.so"
-               (("/[^ ]+/lib/(libc|ld)" _ prefix)
-                (string-append out "/lib/" prefix))))))))
-    (inputs
-     `(("tar" ,(lambda (system)
-                 (search-bootstrap-binary "tar" system)))
-       ("xz"  ,(lambda (system)
-                 (search-bootstrap-binary "xz" system)))
-       ("tarball" ,(lambda (system)
-                     (bootstrap-origin
-                      (origin
-                       (method http-fetch)
-                       (uri (string-append %bootstrap-base-url "/"
-                                           system "/glibc-2.16.0.tar.xz"))
-                       (sha256
-                        (match system
-                          ("x86_64-linux"
-                           (base32
-                            "1cz587p3scrrx0zgqnmp4nnfj0vvf01zdqdgkz445dnbfh64nl0v"))
-                          ("i686-linux"
-                           (base32
-                            "0vzybz1577vflm0p0zg1slqj32carj5102b45k7iskkj46viy14z"))))))))))
-    (synopsis "Bootstrap binaries and headers of the GNU C Library")
-    (description #f)
-    (home-page #f)))
-
-(define %bootstrap-gcc
-  ;; The initial GCC.  Uses binaries from a tarball typically built by
-  ;; %GCC-BOOTSTRAP-TARBALL.
-  (package
-    (name "gcc-bootstrap")
-    (version "0")
-    (source #f)
-    (build-system trivial-build-system)
-    (arguments
-     (lambda (system)
-       `(#:guile ,%bootstrap-guile
-         #:modules ((guix build utils))
-         #:builder
-         (let ((out     (assoc-ref %outputs "out"))
-               (tar     (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tar"))
-               (xz      (assoc-ref %build-inputs "xz"))
-               (bash    (assoc-ref %build-inputs "bash"))
-               (libc    (assoc-ref %build-inputs "libc"))
-               (tarball (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tarball")))
-           (use-modules (guix build utils)
-                        (ice-9 popen))
-
-           (mkdir out)
-           (copy-file tarball "binaries.tar.xz")
-           (system* xz "-d" "binaries.tar.xz")
-           (let ((builddir (getcwd))
-                 (bindir   (string-append out "/bin")))
-             (with-directory-excursion out
-               (system* tar "xvf"
-                        (string-append builddir "/binaries.tar")))
-
-             (with-directory-excursion bindir
-               (chmod "." #o755)
-               (rename-file "gcc" ".gcc-wrapped")
-               (call-with-output-file "gcc"
-                 (lambda (p)
-                   (format p "#!~a
-exec ~a/bin/.gcc-wrapped -B~a/lib \
-     -Wl,-rpath -Wl,~a/lib \
-     -Wl,-dynamic-linker -Wl,~a/~a \"$@\"~%"
-                           bash
-                           out libc libc libc
-                           ,(glibc-dynamic-linker system))))
-
-               (chmod "gcc" #o555)))))))
-    (inputs
-     `(("tar" ,(lambda (system)
-                 (search-bootstrap-binary "tar" system)))
-       ("xz"  ,(lambda (system)
-                 (search-bootstrap-binary "xz" system)))
-       ("bash" ,(lambda (system)
-                  (search-bootstrap-binary "bash" system)))
-       ("libc" ,%bootstrap-glibc)
-       ("tarball" ,(lambda (system)
-                     (bootstrap-origin
-                      (origin
-                       (method http-fetch)
-                       (uri (string-append %bootstrap-base-url "/"
-                                           system "/gcc-4.7.2.tar.xz"))
-                       (sha256
-                        (match system
-                          ("x86_64-linux"
-                           (base32
-                            "07piqzcdaksjbcj037y5gdbh9dfqwzjivg6fkhgg8kif82ibwxxr"))
-                          ("i686-linux"
-                           (base32
-                            "0caiihphp23rrqn382cabykz9ps3ixd5p63dgdnkhz1f01jiarl2"))))))))))
-    (synopsis "Bootstrap binaries of the GNU Compiler Collection")
-    (description #f)
-    (home-page #f)))
-
-(define %bootstrap-inputs
-  ;; The initial, pre-built inputs.  From now on, we can start building our
-  ;; own packages.
-  `(("libc" ,%bootstrap-glibc)
-    ("gcc" ,%bootstrap-gcc)
-    ("binutils" ,%bootstrap-binutils)
-    ("coreutils&co" ,%bootstrap-coreutils&co)))
-
-(define package-with-bootstrap-guile
-  (memoize
-   (lambda (p)
-    "Return a variant of P such that all its origins are fetched with
-%BOOTSTRAP-GUILE."
-    (define rewritten-input
-      (match-lambda
-       ((name (? origin? o))
-        `(,name ,(bootstrap-origin o)))
-       ((name (? package? p) sub-drvs ...)
-        `(,name ,(package-with-bootstrap-guile p) ,@sub-drvs))
-       (x x)))
-
-    (package (inherit p)
-      (source (match (package-source p)
-                ((? origin? o) (bootstrap-origin o))
-                (s s)))
-      (inputs (map rewritten-input
-                   (package-inputs p)))
-      (native-inputs (map rewritten-input
-                          (package-native-inputs p)))
-      (propagated-inputs (map rewritten-input
-                              (package-propagated-inputs p)))))))
-
 (define (default-keyword-arguments args defaults)
   "Return ARGS augmented with any keyword/value from DEFAULTS for
 keywords not already present in ARGS."
diff --git a/distro/packages/bootstrap.scm b/distro/packages/bootstrap.scm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..533ff42987
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distro/packages/bootstrap.scm
@@ -0,0 +1,374 @@
+;;; Guix --- Nix package management from Guile.         -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
+;;; Copyright (C) 2012 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;;
+;;; This file is part of Guix.
+;;;
+;;; Guix is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+;;; under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+;;; the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or (at
+;;; your option) any later version.
+;;;
+;;; Guix is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+;;; WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+;;; MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+;;; GNU General Public License for more details.
+;;;
+;;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+;;; along with Guix.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+(define-module (distro packages bootstrap)
+  #:use-module (distro)
+  #:use-module (guix packages)
+  #:use-module (guix ftp)
+  #:use-module (guix http)
+  #:use-module (guix build-system)
+  #:use-module (guix build-system gnu)
+  #:use-module (guix build-system trivial)
+  #:use-module ((guix store) #:select (add-to-store add-text-to-store))
+  #:use-module ((guix derivations) #:select (derivation))
+  #:use-module (guix utils)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-1)
+  #:use-module (srfi srfi-26)
+  #:use-module (ice-9 match)
+  #:export (bootstrap-origin
+            package-with-bootstrap-guile
+            glibc-dynamic-linker
+
+            %bootstrap-guile
+            %bootstrap-coreutils&co
+            %bootstrap-binutils
+            %bootstrap-gcc
+            %bootstrap-glibc
+            %bootstrap-inputs))
+
+;;; Commentary:
+;;;
+;;; Pre-built packages that are used to bootstrap the
+;;; distribution--i.e., to build all the core packages from scratch.
+;;;
+;;; Code:
+
+
+
+;;;
+;;; Helper procedures.
+;;;
+
+(define (bootstrap-origin source)
+  "Return a variant of SOURCE, an <origin> instance, whose method uses
+%BOOTSTRAP-GUILE to do its job."
+  (define (boot fetch)
+    (lambda* (store url hash-algo hash
+              #:optional name #:key system)
+      (fetch store url hash-algo hash
+             #:guile %bootstrap-guile
+             #:system system)))
+
+  (let ((orig-method (origin-method source)))
+    (origin (inherit source)
+      (method (cond ((eq? orig-method http-fetch)
+                     (boot http-fetch))
+                    ((eq? orig-method ftp-fetch)
+                     (boot ftp-fetch))
+                    (else orig-method))))))
+
+(define (package-from-tarball name* source* program-to-test description*)
+  "Return a package that correspond to the extraction of SOURCE*.
+PROGRAM-TO-TEST is a program to run after extraction of SOURCE*, to
+check whether everything is alright."
+  (package
+    (name name*)
+    (version "0")
+    (source #f)
+    (build-system trivial-build-system)
+    (arguments
+     `(#:guile ,%bootstrap-guile
+       #:modules ((guix build utils))
+       #:builder
+       (let ((out     (assoc-ref %outputs "out"))
+             (tar     (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tar"))
+             (xz      (assoc-ref %build-inputs "xz"))
+             (tarball (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tarball")))
+         (use-modules (guix build utils))
+
+         (mkdir out)
+         (copy-file tarball "binaries.tar.xz")
+         (system* xz "-d" "binaries.tar.xz")
+         (let ((builddir (getcwd)))
+           (with-directory-excursion out
+             (and (zero? (system* tar "xvf"
+                                  (string-append builddir "/binaries.tar")))
+                  (zero? (system* (string-append "bin/" ,program-to-test)
+                                  "--version"))))))))
+    (inputs
+     `(("tar" ,(lambda (system)
+                 (search-bootstrap-binary "tar" system)))
+       ("xz"  ,(lambda (system)
+                 (search-bootstrap-binary "xz" system)))
+       ("tarball" ,(lambda (system)
+                     (bootstrap-origin (source* system))))))
+    (synopsis description*)
+    (description #f)
+    (home-page #f)))
+
+(define package-with-bootstrap-guile
+  (memoize
+   (lambda (p)
+    "Return a variant of P such that all its origins are fetched with
+%BOOTSTRAP-GUILE."
+    (define rewritten-input
+      (match-lambda
+       ((name (? origin? o))
+        `(,name ,(bootstrap-origin o)))
+       ((name (? package? p) sub-drvs ...)
+        `(,name ,(package-with-bootstrap-guile p) ,@sub-drvs))
+       (x x)))
+
+    (package (inherit p)
+      (source (match (package-source p)
+                ((? origin? o) (bootstrap-origin o))
+                (s s)))
+      (inputs (map rewritten-input
+                   (package-inputs p)))
+      (native-inputs (map rewritten-input
+                          (package-native-inputs p)))
+      (propagated-inputs (map rewritten-input
+                              (package-propagated-inputs p)))))))
+
+(define (glibc-dynamic-linker system)
+  "Return the name of Glibc's dynamic linker for SYSTEM."
+  (cond ((string=? system "x86_64-linux") "/lib/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2")
+        ((string=? system "i686-linux") "/lib/ld-linux.so.2")
+        (else (error "dynamic linker name not known for this system"
+                     system))))
+
+
+;;;
+;;; Bootstrap packages.
+;;;
+
+(define %bootstrap-guile
+  ;; The Guile used to run the build scripts of the initial derivations.
+  ;; It is just unpacked from a tarball containing a pre-built binary.
+  ;; This is typically built using %GUILE-BOOTSTRAP-TARBALL below.
+  ;;
+  ;; XXX: Would need libc's `libnss_files2.so' for proper `getaddrinfo'
+  ;; support (for /etc/services).
+  (let ((raw (build-system
+              (name "raw")
+              (description "Raw build system with direct store access")
+              (build (lambda* (store name source inputs #:key outputs system)
+                       (define (->store file)
+                         (add-to-store store file #t #t "sha256"
+                                       (or (search-bootstrap-binary file
+                                                                    system)
+                                           (error "bootstrap binary not found"
+                                                  file system))))
+
+                       (let* ((tar   (->store "tar"))
+                              (xz    (->store "xz"))
+                              (mkdir (->store "mkdir"))
+                              (bash  (->store "bash"))
+                              (guile (->store "guile-bootstrap-2.0.6.tar.xz"))
+                              (builder
+                               (add-text-to-store store
+                                                  "build-bootstrap-guile.sh"
+                                                  (format #f "
+echo \"unpacking bootstrap Guile to '$out'...\"
+~a $out
+cd $out
+~a -dc < ~a | ~a xv
+
+# Sanity check.
+$out/bin/guile --version~%"
+                                                          mkdir xz guile tar)
+                                                  (list mkdir xz guile tar))))
+                         (derivation store name system
+                                     bash `(,builder) '()
+                                     `((,bash) (,builder)))))))))
+   (package
+     (name "guile-bootstrap")
+     (version "2.0")
+     (source #f)
+     (build-system raw)
+     (synopsis "Bootstrap Guile")
+     (description "Pre-built Guile for bootstrapping purposes.")
+     (home-page #f)
+     (license "LGPLv3+"))))
+
+(define %bootstrap-base-url
+  ;; This is where the initial binaries come from.
+  "http://www.fdn.fr/~lcourtes/software/guix/packages")
+
+(define %bootstrap-coreutils&co
+  (package-from-tarball "bootstrap-binaries"
+                        (lambda (system)
+                          (origin
+                           (method http-fetch)
+                           (uri (string-append
+                                 %bootstrap-base-url "/"
+                                 system "/static-binaries.tar.xz"))
+                           (sha256
+                            (match system
+                              ("x86_64-linux"
+                               (base32
+                                "0azisn8l2b3cvgni9k0ahzsxs5cxrj0hmf38zgpq3k6pggk3zbfm"))
+                              ("i686-linux"
+                               (base32
+                                "16v60frbh0naccanwxcxz0z3444dd8salbg8p7cp7vwz8245nhfk"))))))
+                        "true"                    ; the program to test
+                        "Bootstrap binaries of Coreutils, Awk, etc."))
+
+(define %bootstrap-binutils
+  (package-from-tarball "binutils-bootstrap"
+                        (lambda (system)
+                          (origin
+                           (method http-fetch)
+                           (uri (string-append
+                                 %bootstrap-base-url "/"
+                                 system "/binutils-2.22.tar.xz"))
+                           (sha256
+                            (match system
+                              ("x86_64-linux"
+                               (base32
+                                "1cz1rwqhswgrr14kzbkaj3k32kzgv2b6mmzvc6ssbbz8k2m8jmqa"))
+                              ("i686-linux"
+                               (base32
+                                "1crg5xsf4cxk249sg90h6fjhfkwj1s5dxvhwbym79g79ygbww1br"))))))
+                        "ld"                      ; the program to test
+                        "Bootstrap binaries of the GNU Binutils"))
+
+(define %bootstrap-glibc
+  ;; The initial libc.
+  (package
+    (name "glibc-bootstrap")
+    (version "0")
+    (source #f)
+    (build-system trivial-build-system)
+    (arguments
+     `(#:guile ,%bootstrap-guile
+       #:modules ((guix build utils))
+       #:builder
+       (let ((out     (assoc-ref %outputs "out"))
+             (tar     (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tar"))
+             (xz      (assoc-ref %build-inputs "xz"))
+             (tarball (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tarball")))
+         (use-modules (guix build utils))
+
+         (mkdir out)
+         (copy-file tarball "binaries.tar.xz")
+         (system* xz "-d" "binaries.tar.xz")
+         (let ((builddir (getcwd)))
+           (with-directory-excursion out
+             (system* tar "xvf"
+                      (string-append builddir
+                                     "/binaries.tar"))
+             (chmod "lib" #o755)
+
+             ;; Patch libc.so so it refers to the right path.
+             (substitute* "lib/libc.so"
+               (("/[^ ]+/lib/(libc|ld)" _ prefix)
+                (string-append out "/lib/" prefix))))))))
+    (inputs
+     `(("tar" ,(lambda (system)
+                 (search-bootstrap-binary "tar" system)))
+       ("xz"  ,(lambda (system)
+                 (search-bootstrap-binary "xz" system)))
+       ("tarball" ,(lambda (system)
+                     (bootstrap-origin
+                      (origin
+                       (method http-fetch)
+                       (uri (string-append %bootstrap-base-url "/"
+                                           system "/glibc-2.16.0.tar.xz"))
+                       (sha256
+                        (match system
+                          ("x86_64-linux"
+                           (base32
+                            "1cz587p3scrrx0zgqnmp4nnfj0vvf01zdqdgkz445dnbfh64nl0v"))
+                          ("i686-linux"
+                           (base32
+                            "0vzybz1577vflm0p0zg1slqj32carj5102b45k7iskkj46viy14z"))))))))))
+    (synopsis "Bootstrap binaries and headers of the GNU C Library")
+    (description #f)
+    (home-page #f)))
+
+(define %bootstrap-gcc
+  ;; The initial GCC.  Uses binaries from a tarball typically built by
+  ;; %GCC-BOOTSTRAP-TARBALL.
+  (package
+    (name "gcc-bootstrap")
+    (version "0")
+    (source #f)
+    (build-system trivial-build-system)
+    (arguments
+     (lambda (system)
+       `(#:guile ,%bootstrap-guile
+         #:modules ((guix build utils))
+         #:builder
+         (let ((out     (assoc-ref %outputs "out"))
+               (tar     (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tar"))
+               (xz      (assoc-ref %build-inputs "xz"))
+               (bash    (assoc-ref %build-inputs "bash"))
+               (libc    (assoc-ref %build-inputs "libc"))
+               (tarball (assoc-ref %build-inputs "tarball")))
+           (use-modules (guix build utils)
+                        (ice-9 popen))
+
+           (mkdir out)
+           (copy-file tarball "binaries.tar.xz")
+           (system* xz "-d" "binaries.tar.xz")
+           (let ((builddir (getcwd))
+                 (bindir   (string-append out "/bin")))
+             (with-directory-excursion out
+               (system* tar "xvf"
+                        (string-append builddir "/binaries.tar")))
+
+             (with-directory-excursion bindir
+               (chmod "." #o755)
+               (rename-file "gcc" ".gcc-wrapped")
+               (call-with-output-file "gcc"
+                 (lambda (p)
+                   (format p "#!~a
+exec ~a/bin/.gcc-wrapped -B~a/lib \
+     -Wl,-rpath -Wl,~a/lib \
+     -Wl,-dynamic-linker -Wl,~a/~a \"$@\"~%"
+                           bash
+                           out libc libc libc
+                           ,(glibc-dynamic-linker system))))
+
+               (chmod "gcc" #o555)))))))
+    (inputs
+     `(("tar" ,(lambda (system)
+                 (search-bootstrap-binary "tar" system)))
+       ("xz"  ,(lambda (system)
+                 (search-bootstrap-binary "xz" system)))
+       ("bash" ,(lambda (system)
+                  (search-bootstrap-binary "bash" system)))
+       ("libc" ,%bootstrap-glibc)
+       ("tarball" ,(lambda (system)
+                     (bootstrap-origin
+                      (origin
+                       (method http-fetch)
+                       (uri (string-append %bootstrap-base-url "/"
+                                           system "/gcc-4.7.2.tar.xz"))
+                       (sha256
+                        (match system
+                          ("x86_64-linux"
+                           (base32
+                            "07piqzcdaksjbcj037y5gdbh9dfqwzjivg6fkhgg8kif82ibwxxr"))
+                          ("i686-linux"
+                           (base32
+                            "0caiihphp23rrqn382cabykz9ps3ixd5p63dgdnkhz1f01jiarl2"))))))))))
+    (synopsis "Bootstrap binaries of the GNU Compiler Collection")
+    (description #f)
+    (home-page #f)))
+
+(define %bootstrap-inputs
+  ;; The initial, pre-built inputs.  From now on, we can start building our
+  ;; own packages.
+  `(("libc" ,%bootstrap-glibc)
+    ("gcc" ,%bootstrap-gcc)
+    ("binutils" ,%bootstrap-binutils)
+    ("coreutils&co" ,%bootstrap-coreutils&co)))
+
+;;; bootstrap.scm ends here
diff --git a/tests/builders.scm b/tests/builders.scm
index d79603f7da..8b0fa117a9 100644
--- a/tests/builders.scm
+++ b/tests/builders.scm
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
   #:use-module (guix utils)
   #:use-module (guix derivations)
   #:use-module ((guix packages) #:select (package-derivation))
+  #:use-module (distro packages bootstrap)
   #:use-module (ice-9 match)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-1)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-64))
@@ -48,9 +49,6 @@
               (list name (package-derivation %store package))))
             (@@ (distro packages base) %boot0-inputs))))
 
-(define %bootstrap-guile
-  (@@ (distro packages base) %bootstrap-guile))
-
 
 (test-begin "builders")
 
diff --git a/tests/derivations.scm b/tests/derivations.scm
index 02f0a9b2a1..684dac4d6f 100644
--- a/tests/derivations.scm
+++ b/tests/derivations.scm
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
   #:use-module (guix store)
   #:use-module (guix utils)
   #:use-module ((guix packages) #:select (package-derivation))
-  #:use-module ((distro packages base) #:select (%bootstrap-guile))
+  #:use-module (distro packages bootstrap)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-1)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-11)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-26)
@@ -209,9 +209,7 @@
 
 (define %coreutils
   (false-if-exception
-   (or (package-derivation %store
-                           (@@ (distro packages base)
-                               %bootstrap-coreutils&co))
+   (or (package-derivation %store %bootstrap-coreutils&co)
        (nixpkgs-derivation "coreutils"))))
 
 (test-skip (if %coreutils 0 1))
diff --git a/tests/packages.scm b/tests/packages.scm
index 7f78e2a248..5838257e09 100644
--- a/tests/packages.scm
+++ b/tests/packages.scm
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
   #:use-module (guix build-system gnu)
   #:use-module (distro)
   #:use-module (distro packages base)
+  #:use-module (distro packages bootstrap)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-26)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-64)
   #:use-module (ice-9 match))
@@ -44,9 +45,6 @@
   ;; This still involves building GNU Make and GNU Diffutils.
   (@@ (distro packages base) %boot0-inputs))
 
-(define %bootstrap-guile
-  (@@ (distro packages base) %bootstrap-guile))
-
 
 (test-begin "packages")
 
diff --git a/tests/union.scm b/tests/union.scm
index f8a58d5952..73b95c49b8 100644
--- a/tests/union.scm
+++ b/tests/union.scm
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
   #:use-module (guix build union)
   #:use-module ((guix build utils)
                 #:select (with-directory-excursion directory-exists?))
+  #:use-module (distro packages bootstrap)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-64)
   #:use-module (ice-9 match))
 
@@ -33,9 +34,6 @@
 (define %store
   (false-if-exception (open-connection)))
 
-(define %bootstrap-guile
-  (@@ (distro packages base) %bootstrap-guile))
-
 (when %store
   ;; By default, use %BOOTSTRAP-GUILE for the current system.
   (let ((drv (package-derivation %store %bootstrap-guile)))
@@ -72,7 +70,7 @@
   (let* ((inputs  (map (match-lambda
                         ((name package)
                          `(,name ,(package-derivation %store package))))
-                       (@@ (distro packages base) %bootstrap-inputs)))
+                       %bootstrap-inputs))
          (builder `(begin
                      (use-modules (guix build union))
                      (union-build (assoc-ref %outputs "out")