diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/nixos_rebuild/services.py b/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/nixos_rebuild/services.py
index 5261a453fc57..4e01d6ba185f 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/nixos_rebuild/services.py
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/nixos_rebuild/services.py
@@ -134,7 +134,8 @@ def _build_system(
     flake_common_flags: Args,
 ) -> Path:
     dry_run = action == Action.DRY_BUILD
-    no_link = action in (Action.SWITCH, Action.BOOT)
+    # actions that we will not add a /result symlink in CWD
+    no_link = action in (Action.SWITCH, Action.BOOT, Action.TEST, Action.DRY_ACTIVATE)
 
     match (action, args.rollback, build_host, flake):
         case (Action.SWITCH | Action.BOOT, True, _, _):
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/tests/test_main.py b/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/tests/test_main.py
index 52aa00ccf5c5..c49bb43d3445 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/tests/test_main.py
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/ni/nixos-rebuild-ng/src/tests/test_main.py
@@ -1020,6 +1020,7 @@ def test_execute_test_flake(mock_run: Mock, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
                     "build",
                     "--print-out-paths",
                     'github:user/repo#nixosConfigurations."hostname".config.system.build.toplevel',
+                    "--no-link",
                 ],
                 check=True,
                 stdout=PIPE,