diff --git a/docker.nix b/docker.nix
index 32205224b73..d85927a0802 100644
--- a/docker.nix
+++ b/docker.nix
@@ -358,7 +358,6 @@ dockerTools.buildLayeredImageWithNixDb {
 
   extraCommands = ''
     rm -rf nix-support
-    ln -s /nix/var/nix/profiles nix/var/nix/gcroots/profiles
   '';
   fakeRootCommands = ''
     chmod 1777 tmp
diff --git a/src/libstore/local-store.cc b/src/libstore/local-store.cc
index cdddcefcc07..9de8bf496df 100644
--- a/src/libstore/local-store.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/local-store.cc
@@ -144,10 +144,7 @@ LocalStore::LocalStore(ref<const Config> config)
     Path gcRootsDir = config->stateDir + "/gcroots";
     const auto & localSettings = config->getLocalSettings();
     const auto & gcSettings = localSettings.getGCSettings();
-    if (!pathExists(gcRootsDir)) {
-        createDirs(gcRootsDir);
-        replaceSymlink(profilesDir, gcRootsDir + "/profiles");
-    }
+    createDirs(gcRootsDir);
 
     for (auto & perUserDir : {profilesDir + "/per-user", gcRootsDir + "/per-user"}) {
         createDirs(perUserDir);