diff --git a/guix/scripts/build.scm b/guix/scripts/build.scm
index ba47b1232d..6bb1f72eb9 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/build.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/build.scm
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ (define-module (guix scripts build)
             show-transformation-options-help
 
             guix-build
-            register-root))
+            register-root
+            register-root*))
 
 (define %default-log-urls
   ;; Default base URLs for build logs.
@@ -123,6 +124,9 @@ (define (register-root store paths root)
         (leave (_ "failed to create GC root `~a': ~a~%")
                root (strerror (system-error-errno args)))))))
 
+(define register-root*
+  (store-lift register-root))
+
 (define (package-with-source store p uri)
   "Return a package based on P but with its source taken from URI.  Extract
 the new package's version number from URI."