diff --git a/gnu/packages/base.scm b/gnu/packages/base.scm
index 4d71110d4e..f860892caa 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/base.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/base.scm
@@ -517,7 +517,11 @@ store.")
                 (lambda* (#:key inputs native-inputs outputs
                           #:allow-other-keys)
                   (let* ((out  (assoc-ref outputs "out"))
-                         (bin  (string-append out "/bin")))
+                         (bin  (string-append out "/bin"))
+                         ;; FIXME: Normally we would look it up only in INPUTS
+                         ;; but cross-base uses it as a native input.
+                         (bash (or (assoc-ref inputs "static-bash")
+                                   (assoc-ref native-inputs "static-bash"))))
                     ;; Use `pwd', not `/bin/pwd'.
                     (substitute* "configure"
                       (("/bin/pwd") "pwd"))
@@ -537,34 +541,16 @@ store.")
                       ;; 4.7.1.
                       ((" -lgcc_s") ""))
 
-                    ;; Copy a statically-linked Bash in the output, with
-                    ;; no references to other store paths.
-                    ;; FIXME: Normally we would look it up only in INPUTS but
-                    ;; cross-base uses it as a native input.
-                    (mkdir-p bin)
-                    (copy-file (string-append (or (assoc-ref inputs
-                                                             "static-bash")
-                                                  (assoc-ref native-inputs
-                                                             "static-bash"))
-                                              "/bin/bash")
-                               (string-append bin "/bash"))
-                    (remove-store-references (string-append bin "/bash"))
-                    (chmod (string-append bin "/bash") #o555)
-
-                    ;; Keep a symlink, for `patch-shebang' resolution.
-                    (with-directory-excursion bin
-                      (symlink "bash" "sh"))
-
                     ;; Have `system' use that Bash.
                     (substitute* "sysdeps/posix/system.c"
                       (("#define[[:blank:]]+SHELL_PATH.*$")
                        (format #f "#define SHELL_PATH \"~a/bin/bash\"\n"
-                               out)))
+                               bash)))
 
                     ;; Same for `popen'.
                     (substitute* "libio/iopopen.c"
                       (("/bin/sh")
-                       (string-append out "/bin/bash")))
+                       (string-append bash "/bin/bash")))
 
                     ;; Make sure we don't retain a reference to the
                     ;; bootstrap Perl.
@@ -577,7 +563,7 @@ store.")
                        "exec perl"))))
                 %standard-phases)))
 
-   (inputs `(("static-bash" ,(static-package bash-light))))
+   (inputs `(("static-bash" ,static-bash)))
 
    ;; To build the manual, we need Texinfo and Perl.  Gettext is needed to
    ;; install the message catalogs, with 'msgfmt'.
diff --git a/gnu/packages/commencement.scm b/gnu/packages/commencement.scm
index 74c3f304af..fe26089494 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/commencement.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/commencement.scm
@@ -419,18 +419,17 @@ exec ~a/bin/~a-~a -B~a/lib -Wl,-dynamic-linker -Wl,~a/~a \"$@\"~%"
                                   #:guile %bootstrap-guile))))
 
 (define static-bash-for-glibc
-  ;; A statically-linked Bash to be embedded in GLIBC-FINAL, for use by
-  ;; system(3) & co.
+  ;; A statically-linked Bash to be used by GLIBC-FINAL in system(3) & co.
   (let* ((gcc  (cross-gcc-wrapper gcc-boot0 binutils-boot0
                                   glibc-final-with-bootstrap-bash
                                   (car (assoc-ref %boot1-inputs "bash"))))
-         (bash (package (inherit bash-light)
+         (bash (package (inherit static-bash)
                  (native-inputs `(("bison" ,bison-boot1)))
                  (arguments
                   `(#:guile ,%bootstrap-guile
-                    ,@(package-arguments bash-light))))))
+                    ,@(package-arguments static-bash))))))
     (package-with-bootstrap-guile
-     (package-with-explicit-inputs (static-package bash)
+     (package-with-explicit-inputs bash
                                    `(("gcc" ,gcc)
                                      ("libc" ,glibc-final-with-bootstrap-bash)
                                      ,@(fold alist-delete %boot1-inputs
@@ -490,6 +489,7 @@ exec ~a/bin/~a-~a -B~a/lib -Wl,-dynamic-linker -Wl,~a/~a \"$@\"~%"
     (arguments
      `(#:allowed-references
        ,(cons* `(,gcc-boot0 "lib") (linux-libre-headers-boot0)
+               static-bash-for-glibc
                (package-outputs glibc-final-with-bootstrap-bash))
 
        ,@(package-arguments glibc-final-with-bootstrap-bash)))))
@@ -562,7 +562,8 @@ exec ~a/bin/~a-~a -B~a/lib -Wl,-dynamic-linker -Wl,~a/~a \"$@\"~%"
      `(#:guile ,%bootstrap-guile
        #:implicit-inputs? #f
 
-       #:allowed-references ("out" "lib" ,glibc-final)
+       #:allowed-references ("out" "lib"
+                             ,glibc-final ,static-bash-for-glibc)
 
        ;; Things like libasan.so and libstdc++.so NEED ld.so for some
        ;; reason, but it is not in their RUNPATH.  This is a false
@@ -596,8 +597,12 @@ exec ~a/bin/~a-~a -B~a/lib -Wl,-dynamic-linker -Wl,~a/~a \"$@\"~%"
            ((#:phases phases)
             `(alist-delete 'symlink-libgcc_eh ,phases)))))
 
-    ;; This time we want Texinfo, so we get the manual.
+    ;; This time we want Texinfo, so we get the manual.  Add
+    ;; STATIC-BASH-FOR-GLIBC so that it's used in the final shebangs of
+    ;; scripts such as 'mkheaders' and 'fixinc.sh' (XXX: who cares about these
+    ;; scripts?).
     (native-inputs `(("texinfo" ,texinfo-boot0)
+                     ("static-bash" ,static-bash-for-glibc)
                      ,@(package-native-inputs gcc-boot0)))
 
     (inputs `(("gmp-source" ,(bootstrap-origin (package-source gmp)))