diff --git a/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders/default.nix b/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders/default.nix
index e90d0a6d2022..d3cb22a1f535 100644
--- a/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/build-support/trivial-builders/default.nix
@@ -135,9 +135,15 @@ rec {
     , allowSubstitutes ? false
     , preferLocalBuild ? true
     }:
+    let
+      matches = builtins.match "/bin/([^/]+)" destination;
+    in
     runCommand name
-      { inherit text executable checkPhase meta allowSubstitutes preferLocalBuild;
+      { inherit text executable checkPhase allowSubstitutes preferLocalBuild;
         passAsFile = [ "text" ];
+        meta = lib.optionalAttrs (executable && matches != null) {
+          mainProgram = lib.head matches;
+        } // meta;
       }
       ''
         target=$out${lib.escapeShellArg destination}
@@ -350,8 +356,6 @@ rec {
           runHook postCheck
         ''
         else checkPhase;
-
-      meta.mainProgram = name;
     };
 
   # Create a C binary