diff --git a/mkosi/mkosi.images/minimal-0/mkosi.postinst b/mkosi/mkosi.images/minimal-0/mkosi.postinst
index a66cf68465..8b009f5012 100755
--- a/mkosi/mkosi.images/minimal-0/mkosi.postinst
+++ b/mkosi/mkosi.images/minimal-0/mkosi.postinst
@@ -8,4 +8,7 @@ cat >>"$BUILDROOT/usr/lib/os-release" <<EOF
 MARKER=1
 PORTABLE_PREFIXES=app0 minimal minimal-app0
 EOF
+if [ ! -L "$BUILDROOT/etc/os-release" ]; then
+    cp "$BUILDROOT/usr/lib/os-release" "$BUILDROOT/etc/os-release"
+fi
 cp "$BUILDROOT/usr/lib/systemd/system/minimal-app0.service" "$BUILDROOT/usr/lib/systemd/system/minimal-app0-foo.service"
diff --git a/mkosi/mkosi.images/minimal-1/mkosi.postinst b/mkosi/mkosi.images/minimal-1/mkosi.postinst
index e2d08d04d8..a971748ad9 100755
--- a/mkosi/mkosi.images/minimal-1/mkosi.postinst
+++ b/mkosi/mkosi.images/minimal-1/mkosi.postinst
@@ -8,4 +8,7 @@ cat >>"$BUILDROOT/usr/lib/os-release" <<EOF
 MARKER=2
 PORTABLE_PREFIXES=app0 minimal minimal-app0
 EOF
+if [ ! -L "$BUILDROOT/etc/os-release" ]; then
+    cp "$BUILDROOT/usr/lib/os-release" "$BUILDROOT/etc/os-release"
+fi
 cp "$BUILDROOT/usr/lib/systemd/system/minimal-app0.service" "$BUILDROOT/usr/lib/systemd/system/minimal-app0-bar.service"
diff --git a/test/units/TEST-50-DISSECT.sysext.sh b/test/units/TEST-50-DISSECT.sysext.sh
index 6bb106bac2..5302314d26 100755
--- a/test/units/TEST-50-DISSECT.sysext.sh
+++ b/test/units/TEST-50-DISSECT.sysext.sh
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ prepare_root() {
         echo "VERSION=1.2.3"
     } >"$root/usr/lib/os-release"
 
+    if [[ -e $root/etc/os-release ]] && [[ ! -L $root/etc/os-release ]]; then
+        mv "$root/etc/os-release" "$root/etc/os-release.orig"
+        cp "$root/usr/lib/os-release" "$root/etc/os-release"
+    fi
+
     prepend_trap "cleanup_os_release ${root@Q}"
 }
 
@@ -103,6 +108,11 @@ cleanup_os_release() {
         # shellcheck disable=SC2317 # It is not unreachable, used in a trap couple lines above.
         mv "$root/usr/lib/os-release.orig" "$root/usr/lib/os-release"
     fi
+    # shellcheck disable=SC2317 # It is not unreachable, used in a trap couple lines above.
+    if [[ -e $root/etc/os-release.orig ]]; then
+        # shellcheck disable=SC2317 # It is not unreachable, used in a trap couple lines above.
+        mv "$root/etc/os-release.orig" "$root/etc/os-release"
+    fi
 }
 
 prepare_extension_image() {