diff --git a/nixos/modules/misc/version.nix b/nixos/modules/misc/version.nix
index 67719c1d49c7..49cc87a21b17 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/misc/version.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/misc/version.nix
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ in
     (mkRenamedOptionModule [ "system" "nixosLabel" ] [ "system" "nixos" "label" ])
   ];
 
+  options.boot.initrd.osRelease = mkOption {
+    internal = true;
+    readOnly = true;
+    default = initrdRelease;
+  };
+
   options.system = {
 
     nixos.version = mkOption {
@@ -143,11 +149,6 @@ in
       "os-release".text = attrsToText osReleaseContents;
     };
 
-    boot.initrd.systemd.contents = {
-      "/etc/os-release".source = initrdRelease;
-      "/etc/initrd-release".source = initrdRelease;
-    };
-
     # We have to use `warnings` because when warning in the default of the option
     # the warning would also be shown when building the manual since the manual
     # has to evaluate the default.
diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd/initrd.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd/initrd.nix
index cdec7f532917..b49312c924b5 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd/initrd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd/initrd.nix
@@ -359,6 +359,9 @@ in {
         '';
         "/etc/modprobe.d/debian.conf".source = pkgs.kmod-debian-aliases;
 
+        "/etc/os-release".source = config.boot.initrd.osRelease;
+        "/etc/initrd-release".source = config.boot.initrd.osRelease;
+
       };
 
       storePaths = [