diff --git a/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/bin.nix b/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/bin.nix
index 05c1644c8c7d..9aa2cde0f3c9 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/bin.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/typesetting/tex/texlive/bin.nix
@@ -103,7 +103,9 @@ core = stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   installTargets = [ "install" "texlinks" ];
 
   # TODO: perhaps improve texmf.cnf search locations
-  postInstall = /* a few texmf-dist files are useful; take the rest from pkgs */ ''
+  postInstall = /* links format -> engine will be regenerated in texlive.combine */ ''
+    PATH="$out/bin:$PATH" ${texlinks} --cnffile "$out/share/texmf-dist/web2c/fmtutil.cnf" --unlink "$out/bin"
+  '' + /* a few texmf-dist files are useful; take the rest from pkgs */ ''
     mv "$out/share/texmf-dist/web2c/texmf.cnf" .
     rm -r "$out/share/texmf-dist"
     mkdir -p "$out"/share/texmf-dist/{web2c,scripts/texlive/TeXLive}