diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/bootstrap-files/aarch64-apple-darwin.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/bootstrap-files/aarch64-apple-darwin.nix
index 19c312020a8a..8fd3537fa78a 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/bootstrap-files/aarch64-apple-darwin.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/bootstrap-files/aarch64-apple-darwin.nix
@@ -1,22 +1,12 @@
-# Autogenerated by maintainers/scripts/bootstrap-files/refresh-tarballs.bash as:
-# $ ./refresh-tarballs.bash --targets=aarch64-apple-darwin
-#
-# Metadata:
-# - nixpkgs revision: d03ae62edd9402b6ee0471cb1543e1e19585025e
-# - hydra build: https://hydra.nixos.org/job/nixpkgs/trunk/stdenvBootstrapTools.aarch64-apple-darwin.build/latest
-# - resolved hydra build: https://hydra.nixos.org/build/253789456
-# - instantiated derivation: /nix/store/wyviwh9qhjw54vd0y8vlc2nwc012b8gg-stdenv-bootstrap-tools.drv
-# - output directory: /nix/store/sxc61dx6sng17lpp2rvv1q2apxj7bvq2-stdenv-bootstrap-tools
-# - build time: Thu, 21 Mar 2024 09:34:31 +0000
+let
+  fetch = { file, sha256, executable ? true }: import <nix/fetchurl.nix> {
+    url = "http://tarballs.nixos.org/stdenv-darwin/aarch64/20acd4c4f14040485f40e55c0a76c186aa8ca4f3/${file}";
+    inherit sha256 executable;
+  }; in
 {
-  bootstrapTools = import <nix/fetchurl.nix> {
-    url = "http://tarballs.nixos.org/stdenv/aarch64-apple-darwin/d03ae62edd9402b6ee0471cb1543e1e19585025e/bootstrap-tools.tar.xz";
-    hash = "sha256-YwQSZvzbOo2wOCncBsnpaco7Zg91UQHElQUweY/axFQ=";
-  };
-  unpack = import <nix/fetchurl.nix> {
-    url = "http://tarballs.nixos.org/stdenv/aarch64-apple-darwin/d03ae62edd9402b6ee0471cb1543e1e19585025e/unpack.nar.xz";
-    hash = "sha256-2eThRlLWoxdcb5luIUlMn5wZ6rS5cgQSeyoalui5M34=";
-    name = "unpack";
-    unpack = true;
-  };
+  sh = fetch { file = "sh"; sha256 = "17m3xrlbl99j3vm7rzz3ghb47094dyddrbvs2a6jalczvmx7spnj"; };
+  bzip2 = fetch { file = "bzip2"; sha256 = "1khs8s5klf76plhlvlc1ma838r8pc1qigk9f5bdycwgbn0nx240q"; };
+  mkdir = fetch { file = "mkdir"; sha256 = "1m9nk90paazl93v43myv2ay68c1arz39pqr7lk5ddbgb177hgg8a"; };
+  cpio = fetch { file = "cpio"; sha256 = "17pxq61yjjvyd738fy9f392hc9cfzkl612sdr9rxr3v0dgvm8y09"; };
+  tarball = fetch { file = "bootstrap-tools.cpio.bz2"; sha256 = "1v2332k33akm6mrm4bj749rxnnmc2pkbgcslmd0bbkf76bz2ildy"; executable = false; };
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/bootstrap-files/x86_64-apple-darwin.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/bootstrap-files/x86_64-apple-darwin.nix
index 78c8a840f040..aed2285d8936 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/bootstrap-files/x86_64-apple-darwin.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/bootstrap-files/x86_64-apple-darwin.nix
@@ -1,22 +1,12 @@
-# Autogenerated by maintainers/scripts/bootstrap-files/refresh-tarballs.bash as:
-# $ ./refresh-tarballs.bash --targets=x86_64-apple-darwin
-#
-# Metadata:
-# - nixpkgs revision: d03ae62edd9402b6ee0471cb1543e1e19585025e
-# - hydra build: https://hydra.nixos.org/job/nixpkgs/trunk/stdenvBootstrapTools.x86_64-apple-darwin.build/latest
-# - resolved hydra build: https://hydra.nixos.org/build/253718221
-# - instantiated derivation: /nix/store/jahwrdyh1z3rlphx44zghhjfp4jy1blx-stdenv-bootstrap-tools.drv
-# - output directory: /nix/store/z2gdi0ha3w9scbgl3jv6431hd52d4b3j-stdenv-bootstrap-tools
-# - build time: Thu, 21 Mar 2024 09:23:11 +0000
+let
+  fetch = { file, sha256, executable ? true }: import <nix/fetchurl.nix> {
+    url = "http://tarballs.nixos.org/stdenv-darwin/x86_64/c253216595572930316f2be737dc288a1da22558/${file}";
+    inherit sha256 executable;
+  }; in
 {
-  bootstrapTools = import <nix/fetchurl.nix> {
-    url = "http://tarballs.nixos.org/stdenv/x86_64-apple-darwin/d03ae62edd9402b6ee0471cb1543e1e19585025e/bootstrap-tools.tar.xz";
-    hash = "sha256-XUSvF96oNQlUubbaqMKIO8svLxYzwZh9JksgAyCRyz0=";
-  };
-  unpack = import <nix/fetchurl.nix> {
-    url = "http://tarballs.nixos.org/stdenv/x86_64-apple-darwin/d03ae62edd9402b6ee0471cb1543e1e19585025e/unpack.nar.xz";
-    hash = "sha256-9tNU75JhdANoCsRXkzRN6xr8iTmR9bNfuqu/HmUW/BM=";
-    name = "unpack";
-    unpack = true;
-  };
+  sh = fetch { file = "sh"; sha256 = "sha256-igMAVEfumFv/LUNTGfNi2nSehgTNIP4Sg+f3L7u6SMA="; };
+  bzip2 = fetch { file = "bzip2"; sha256 = "sha256-K3rhkJZipudT1Jgh+l41Y/fNsMkrPtiAsNRDha/lpZI="; };
+  mkdir = fetch { file = "mkdir"; sha256 = "sha256-VddFELwLDJGNADKB1fWwWPBtIAlEUgJv2hXRmC4NEeM="; };
+  cpio = fetch { file = "cpio"; sha256 = "sha256-SWkwvLaFyV44kLKL2nx720SvcL4ej/p2V/bX3uqAGO0="; };
+  tarball = fetch { file = "bootstrap-tools.cpio.bz2"; sha256 = "sha256-kRC/bhCmlD4L7KAvJQgcukk7AinkMz4IwmG1rqlh5tA="; executable = false; };
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/default.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/default.nix
index 1786fce83a1f..c0b6694bfd4e 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/default.nix
@@ -52,17 +52,10 @@ let
     inherit system;
 
     name = "bootstrap-tools";
-    builder = "${bootstrapFiles.unpack}/bin/bash";
+    builder = bootstrapFiles.sh; # Not a filename! Attribute 'sh' on bootstrapFiles
+    args = if localSystem.isAarch64 then [ ./unpack-bootstrap-tools-aarch64.sh ] else [ ./unpack-bootstrap-tools.sh ];
 
-    args = [
-      "${bootstrapFiles.unpack}/bootstrap-tools-unpack.sh"
-        bootstrapFiles.bootstrapTools
-    ];
-
-    PATH = lib.makeBinPath [
-      (placeholder "out")
-      bootstrapFiles.unpack
-    ];
+    inherit (bootstrapFiles) mkdir bzip2 cpio tarball;
 
     __impureHostDeps = commonImpureHostDeps;
   } // lib.optionalAttrs config.contentAddressedByDefault {
@@ -233,10 +226,20 @@ in
       ccWrapperStdenv = self.stdenv;
 
       bash = bootstrapTools;
+
       coreutils = bootstrapTools;
-      cpio = bootstrapTools;
       gnugrep = bootstrapTools;
-      pbzx = bootstrapTools;
+
+      # Either pbzx or Libsystem is required from bootstrap tools (one is used building the other).
+      pbzx = if localSystem.isAarch64 then bootstrapTools else super.pbzx;
+      cpio = self.stdenv.mkDerivation {
+        name = "bootstrap-stage0-cpio";
+        buildCommand = ''
+          mkdir -p $out/bin
+          ln -s ${bootstrapFiles.cpio} $out/bin/cpio
+        '';
+        passthru.isFromBootstrapFiles = true;
+      };
 
       darwin = super.darwin.overrideScope (selfDarwin: superDarwin: {
         # Prevent CF from being propagated to the initial stdenv. Packages that require it
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/make-bootstrap-tools.nix b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/make-bootstrap-tools.nix
index 784a628694a7..836a938b84ae 100644
--- a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/make-bootstrap-tools.nix
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/make-bootstrap-tools.nix
@@ -414,7 +414,8 @@ rec {
   };
 
   # The ultimate test: bootstrap a whole stdenv from the tools specified above and get a package set out of it
-  # eg: nix-build -A freshBootstrapTools.test-pkgs.stdenv
+  # TODO: uncomment once https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/222717 is resolved
+  /*
   test-pkgs = import test-pkgspath {
     # if the bootstrap tools are for another platform, we should be testing
     # that platform.
@@ -424,4 +425,5 @@ rec {
         args' = args // { inherit bootstrapFiles; };
       in (import (test-pkgspath + "/pkgs/stdenv/darwin") args');
   };
+  */
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/unpack-bootstrap-tools-aarch64.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/unpack-bootstrap-tools-aarch64.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4bb84f6409cb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/unpack-bootstrap-tools-aarch64.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Unpack the bootstrap tools tarball.
+echo Unpacking the bootstrap tools...
+$mkdir $out
+$bzip2 -d < $tarball | (cd $out && $cpio -i)
+
+export PATH=$out/bin
+
+# Fix codesign wrapper paths
+sed -i \
+  -e "1c\
+#!$out/bin/bash" \
+  -e "s|[^( ]*\bsigtool\b|$out/bin/sigtool|g" \
+  $out/bin/codesign
+
+updateInstallName() {
+  local path="$1"
+
+  cp "$path" "$path.new"
+  install_name_tool -id "$path" "$path.new"
+  # workaround for https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/294518
+  # libc++.1.0.dylib contains wrong LC_RPATH
+  if [[ ${path} == *libc++.1.0.dylib ]]; then
+    install_name_tool -add_rpath @loader_path/.. "${path}.new"
+  fi
+  codesign -f -i "$(basename "$path")" -s - "$path.new"
+  mv -f "$path.new" "$path"
+}
+
+find $out
+
+ln -s bash $out/bin/sh
+ln -s bzip2 $out/bin/bunzip2
+
+find $out/lib -type f -name '*.dylib' -print0 | while IFS= read -r -d $'\0' lib; do
+  updateInstallName "$lib"
+done
+
+# Provide a gunzip script.
+cat > $out/bin/gunzip <<EOF
+#!$out/bin/sh
+exec $out/bin/gzip -d "\$@"
+EOF
+chmod +x $out/bin/gunzip
+
+# Provide fgrep/egrep.
+echo "#! $out/bin/sh" > $out/bin/egrep
+echo "exec $out/bin/grep -E \"\$@\"" >> $out/bin/egrep
+echo "#! $out/bin/sh" > $out/bin/fgrep
+echo "exec $out/bin/grep -F \"\$@\"" >> $out/bin/fgrep
+
+cat >$out/bin/dsymutil << EOF
+#!$out/bin/sh
+EOF
+
+chmod +x $out/bin/egrep $out/bin/fgrep $out/bin/dsymutil
diff --git a/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/unpack-bootstrap-tools.sh b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/unpack-bootstrap-tools.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..37beeaf28f94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/stdenv/darwin/unpack-bootstrap-tools.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+set -e
+
+# Unpack the bootstrap tools tarball.
+echo Unpacking the bootstrap tools...
+$mkdir $out
+$bzip2 -d < $tarball | (cd $out && $cpio -i)
+
+# Set the ELF interpreter / RPATH in the bootstrap binaries.
+echo Patching the tools...
+
+export PATH=$out/bin
+
+for i in $out/bin/*; do
+  if ! test -L $i; then
+    echo patching $i
+    install_name_tool -add_rpath $out/lib $i || true
+  fi
+done
+
+for i in $out/lib/*.dylib $out/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation; do
+  if test ! -L "$i" -a "$i" != "$out/lib/libSystem*.dylib"; then
+    echo "Patching $i"
+
+    id=$(otool -D "$i" | tail -n 1)
+    install_name_tool -id "$(dirname $i)/$(basename $id)" $i
+
+    libs=$(otool -L "$i" | tail -n +2 | grep -v libSystem | cat)
+    if [ -n "$libs" ]; then
+      install_name_tool -add_rpath $out/lib $i
+    fi
+  fi
+done
+
+ln -s bash $out/bin/sh
+ln -s bzip2 $out/bin/bunzip2
+
+# Provide a gunzip script.
+cat > $out/bin/gunzip <<EOF
+#!$out/bin/sh
+exec $out/bin/gzip -d "\$@"
+EOF
+chmod +x $out/bin/gunzip
+
+# Provide fgrep/egrep.
+echo "#! $out/bin/sh" > $out/bin/egrep
+echo "exec $out/bin/grep -E \"\$@\"" >> $out/bin/egrep
+echo "#! $out/bin/sh" > $out/bin/fgrep
+echo "exec $out/bin/grep -F \"\$@\"" >> $out/bin/fgrep
+
+cat >$out/bin/dsymutil << EOF
+#!$out/bin/sh
+EOF
+
+chmod +x $out/bin/egrep $out/bin/fgrep $out/bin/dsymutil