diff --git a/guix/scripts/pack.scm b/guix/scripts/pack.scm
index 7f087a3a3c..6d5d745bc8 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/pack.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/pack.scm
@@ -722,6 +722,7 @@ (define (manifest-from-args store opts)
                                         (if (assoc-ref opts 'bootstrap?)
                                             %bootstrap-guile
                                             (canonical-package guile-2.2))
+                                        (assoc-ref opts 'system)
                                         #:graft? (assoc-ref opts 'graft?))))
         (let* ((dry-run?    (assoc-ref opts 'dry-run?))
                (relocatable? (assoc-ref opts 'relocatable?))