diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-rebuild.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-rebuild.xml
index ab2a5d83a089..b2ca9f457a2b 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-rebuild.xml
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/man-nixos-rebuild.xml
@@ -91,6 +91,10 @@
     <option>--flake</option> <replaceable>flake-uri</replaceable>
    </arg>
 
+   <arg>
+    <option>--no-flake</option>
+   </arg>
+
    <arg>
     <option>--override-input</option> <replaceable>input-name</replaceable> <replaceable>flake-uri</replaceable>
    </arg>
@@ -594,6 +598,20 @@
     </listitem>
    </varlistentry>
 
+   <varlistentry>
+    <term>
+     <option>--no-flake</option>
+    </term>
+    <listitem>
+     <para>
+      Do not imply <option>--flake</option> if
+      <filename>/etc/nixos/flake.nix</filename> exists. With this
+      option, it is possible to build non-flake NixOS configurations
+      even if the current NixOS systems uses flakes.
+     </para>
+    </listitem>
+   </varlistentry>
+
   </variablelist>
 
   <para>
diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nixos-rebuild/nixos-rebuild.sh b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nixos-rebuild/nixos-rebuild.sh
index 2ec30c24f2d3..0c3d64ace9c4 100755
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nixos-rebuild/nixos-rebuild.sh
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/nixos-rebuild/nixos-rebuild.sh
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ buildHost=localhost
 targetHost=
 remoteSudo=
 verboseScript=
+noFlake=
 # comma separated list of vars to preserve when using sudo
 preservedSudoVars=NIXOS_INSTALL_BOOTLOADER
 
@@ -115,6 +116,9 @@ while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; do
         flakeFlags=(--extra-experimental-features 'nix-command flakes')
         shift 1
         ;;
+      --no-flake)
+        noFlake=1
+        ;;
       --recreate-lock-file|--no-update-lock-file|--no-write-lock-file|--no-registries|--commit-lock-file)
         lockFlags+=("$i")
         ;;
@@ -339,7 +343,7 @@ fi
 
 # Use /etc/nixos/flake.nix if it exists. It can be a symlink to the
 # actual flake.
-if [[ -z $flake && -e /etc/nixos/flake.nix ]]; then
+if [[ -z $flake && -e /etc/nixos/flake.nix && -z $noFlake ]]; then
     flake="$(dirname "$(readlink -f /etc/nixos/flake.nix)")"
 fi