diff --git a/gnu/packages/tex.scm b/gnu/packages/tex.scm
index 4831cf0933..703846a1ad 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/tex.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/tex.scm
@@ -2943,9 +2943,9 @@ (define-public texlive-latexconfig
 formats.")
     (license license:lppl)))
 
-(define-public texlive-latex-base
+(define-public texlive-latex-base-bootstrap
   (let ((template (simple-texlive-package
-                   "texlive-latex-base"
+                   "texlive-latex-base-bootstrap"
                    (list "/doc/latex/base/"
                          "/source/latex/base/"
                          ;; Almost all files in /tex/latex/base are generated, but
@@ -3174,6 +3174,18 @@ (define-public texlive-latex-base
 contain.")
       (license license:lppl1.3c+))))
 
+(define-public texlive-latex-base
+  (let ((base texlive-latex-base-bootstrap))
+    (package
+      (inherit base)
+      (name "texlive-latex-base")
+      (arguments
+       `(#:texlive-latex-base texlive-latex-base-bootstrap
+         ,@(package-arguments base)))
+      (propagated-inputs
+        (modify-inputs (package-propagated-inputs base)
+          (append texlive-babel))))))
+
 (define-public texlive-latex-atveryend
   (package
     (inherit (simple-texlive-package