diff --git a/system/options.nix b/system/options.nix
index 5828beb097d0..03ef575f437d 100644
--- a/system/options.nix
+++ b/system/options.nix
@@ -193,6 +193,9 @@
         fsType = "ext3";
         options = "data=journal";
       }
+      { mountPoint = "/bigdisk";
+        label = "bigdisk";
+      }
     ];
     description = "
       The file systems to be mounted.  It must include an entry for
@@ -205,6 +208,11 @@
       <literal>\"auto\"</literal>), and <literal>options</literal>
       (the mount options passed to <command>mount</command> using the
       <option>-o</option> flag; defaults to <literal>\"defaults\"</literal>).
+
+      Instead of specifying <literal>device</literal>, you can also
+      specify a volume label (<literal>volume</literal>) for file
+      systems that support it, such as ext2/ext3 (see <command>mke2fs
+      -L</command>).
     ";
   }
 
diff --git a/upstart-jobs/filesystems.nix b/upstart-jobs/filesystems.nix
index 23849db78865..793bb47ba257 100644
--- a/upstart-jobs/filesystems.nix
+++ b/upstart-jobs/filesystems.nix
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ let
 
   # !!! use XML
   mountPoints = map (fs: fs.mountPoint) fileSystems;
-  devices = map (fs: fs.device) fileSystems;
+  devices = map (fs: if fs ? device then fs.device else "LABEL=" + fs.label) fileSystems;
   fsTypes = map (fs: if fs ? fsType then fs.fsType else "auto") fileSystems;
   optionss = map (fs: if fs ? options then fs.options else "defaults") fileSystems;