diff --git a/guix/build/pull.scm b/guix/build/pull.scm
index d2e0404b1..84629f6b0 100644
--- a/guix/build/pull.scm
+++ b/guix/build/pull.scm
@@ -39,10 +39,15 @@
 (define (depends-on-guile-ssh? file)
   "Return true if FILE is a Scheme source file that depends, directly or
 indirectly, on Guile-SSH."
+  (let ((module (call-with-input-file file
+                  (lambda (port)
+                    (match (read port)
+                      (('define-module name _ ...)
+                       name))))))
     (find (match-lambda
             (('ssh _ ...) #t)
             (_ #f))
-        (source-module-closure file #:select? (const #t))))
+          (source-module-closure module #:select? (const #t)))))
 
 (define (all-scheme-files directory)
   "Return a sorted list of Scheme files found in DIRECTORY."