3 files changed, 7 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/kernel/make-initrd.nix b/pkgs/build-support/kernel/make-initrd.nix
index 2c0ca37553df..38def9c59a69 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/kernel/make-initrd.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/kernel/make-initrd.nix
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # `contents = {object = ...; symlink = /init;}' is a typical
 # argument.
 
-{stdenv, perl, cpio, contents, ubootChooser}:
+{stdenv, perl, cpio, contents, ubootChooser, compressor}:
 
 let
   inputsFun = ubootName : [perl cpio]
@@ -40,4 +40,5 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     buildNativeInputs = inputsFun stdenv.cross.platform.uboot;
     makeUInitrd = makeUInitrdFun stdenv.cross.platform.uboot;
   };
+  inherit compressor;
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/kernel/make-initrd.sh b/pkgs/build-support/kernel/make-initrd.sh
index b2c784635699..f6cadaf02819 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/kernel/make-initrd.sh
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/kernel/make-initrd.sh
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ storePaths=$(perl $pathsFromGraph closure-*)
 
 # Put the closure in a gzipped cpio archive.
 mkdir -p $out
-(cd root && find * -print0 | cpio -o -H newc --null | gzip -9 > $out/initrd)
+(cd root && find * -print0 | cpio -o -H newc --null | $compressor > $out/initrd)
 
 if [ -n "$makeUInitrd" ]; then
     mv $out/initrd $out/initrd.gz
diff --git a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
index 2beabc6a3272..adb4c65a4be7 100644
--- a/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
+++ b/pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix
@@ -323,9 +323,10 @@ let
     inherit lib;
   };
 
-  makeInitrd = {contents}: import ../build-support/kernel/make-initrd.nix {
-    inherit stdenv perl cpio contents ubootChooser;
-  };
+  makeInitrd = {contents, compressor ? "gzip -9"}:
+    import ../build-support/kernel/make-initrd.nix {
+      inherit stdenv perl cpio contents ubootChooser compressor;
+    };
 
   makeWrapper = makeSetupHook { } ../build-support/setup-hooks/make-wrapper.sh;