diff --git a/guix/packages.scm b/guix/packages.scm
index 3d9f281b74..01045ded07 100644
--- a/guix/packages.scm
+++ b/guix/packages.scm
@@ -628,7 +628,7 @@ (define (first-file directory)
                                           #:fail-on-error? #t)))))
               (apply invoke
                      (string-append #+tar "/bin/tar")
-                     "cvf" #$output
+                     "cvfa" #$output
                      ;; avoid non-determinism in the archive
                      "--mtime=@0"
                      "--owner=root:0"