diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
index 327f3b7e1128..4cfd8a0b6187 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
@@ -203,6 +203,9 @@ in
 
         # To wait for SCSI devices to appear.
         "scsi_wait_scan"
+
+        # Needed by the stage 2 init script.
+        "rtc_cmos"
       ];
 
     boot.initrd.kernelModules =
diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh b/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh
index 9b3cfc9e7a56..4a86daf1fe80 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/stage-2-init.sh
@@ -161,6 +161,12 @@ echo "running activation script..."
 $systemConfig/activate
 
 
+# Restore the system time from the hardware clock.  We do this after
+# running the activation script to be sure that /etc/localtime points
+# at the current time zone.
+hwclock --hctosys
+
+
 # Record the boot configuration.
 ln -sfn "$systemConfig" /run/booted-system