diff --git a/nixos/tests/installer.nix b/nixos/tests/installer.nix
index 398ad8de19cf..2ae07e5bb5ba 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/installer.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/installer.nix
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ let
           boot.loader.systemd-boot.enable = true;
         ''}
 
+        boot.initrd.secrets."/etc/secret" = /etc/nixos/secret;
+
         users.users.alice = {
           isNormalUser = true;
           home = "/home/alice";
@@ -124,6 +126,7 @@ let
               }",
               "/mnt/etc/nixos/configuration.nix",
           )
+          machine.copy_from_host("${pkgs.writeText "secret" "secret"}", "/mnt/etc/nixos/secret")
 
       with subtest("Perform the installation"):
           machine.succeed("nixos-install < /dev/null >&2")
@@ -131,6 +134,19 @@ let
       with subtest("Do it again to make sure it's idempotent"):
           machine.succeed("nixos-install < /dev/null >&2")
 
+      with subtest("Check that we can build things in nixos-enter"):
+          machine.succeed(
+              """
+              nixos-enter -- nix-build --option substitute false -E 'derivation {
+                  name = "t";
+                  builder = "/bin/sh";
+                  args = ["-c" "echo nixos-enter build > $out"];
+                  system = builtins.currentSystem;
+                  preferLocalBuild = true;
+              }'
+              """
+          )
+
       with subtest("Shutdown system after installation"):
           machine.succeed("umount /mnt/boot || true")
           machine.succeed("umount /mnt")