diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix b/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix
index 5273b55b7308..e7f569fd78e5 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/activation/top-level.nix
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ let
 
     ${config.system.systemBuilderCommands}
 
-    printf "%s" "$extraDependencies" > "$out/extra-dependencies"
+    printf "%s " "''${extraDependencies[@]}" > "$out/extra-dependencies"
 
     ${optionalString (!config.boot.isContainer && config.boot.bootspec.enable) ''
       ${config.boot.bootspec.writer}