diff --git a/gnu/system.scm b/gnu/system.scm
index d6bf6c4..467d907 100644
--- a/gnu/system.scm
+++ b/gnu/system.scm
@@ -766,7 +766,11 @@ this file is the reconstruction of GRUB menu entries for old configurations."
      (boot-parameters
       (label label)
       (root-device root)
-      (kernel linux)
+      (kernel (match linux
+                (('string-append (? string? strings) ...)
+                 (string-concatenate strings))
+                (_
+                 linux)))
       (kernel-arguments
        (match (assq 'kernel-arguments rest)
          ((_ args) args)