diff --git a/gnu/system.scm b/gnu/system.scm
index 104b22353925549848972b54e2cc49da5ba20a1f..66574c10cb982e122afa1c3ea855d604a0274a8b 100644
--- a/gnu/system.scm
+++ b/gnu/system.scm
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ (define* (etc-directory #:key
 # Prepend setuid programs.
 export PATH=/run/setuid-programs:$PATH
 
-if [ -d \"$HOME/.guix-profile\" ]
+if [ -f \"$HOME/.guix-profile/etc/profile\" ]
 then
   # Load the user profile's settings.
   GUIX_PROFILE=\"$HOME/.guix-profile\" \\