diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nixos-rebuild/nixos-rebuild.sh b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nixos-rebuild/nixos-rebuild.sh
index 54e9e92bb292..957f03c5fc8e 100755
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nixos-rebuild/nixos-rebuild.sh
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nixos-rebuild/nixos-rebuild.sh
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ if [ "$action" = repl ]; then
     if [[ -z $buildingAttribute ]]; then
         exec nix repl --file $buildFile $attr "${extraBuildFlags[@]}"
     elif [[ -z $flake ]]; then
-        exec nix repl '<nixpkgs/nixos>' "${extraBuildFlags[@]}"
+        exec nix repl --file '<nixpkgs/nixos>' "${extraBuildFlags[@]}"
     else
         if [[ -n "${lockFlags[0]}" ]]; then
             # nix repl itself does not support locking flags