diff --git a/test/boot-stage-2-init.sh b/test/boot-stage-2-init.sh
index 50069ebe2161..8235715e09e6 100644
--- a/test/boot-stage-2-init.sh
+++ b/test/boot-stage-2-init.sh
@@ -59,6 +59,18 @@ for i in /sys/bus/pci/devices/*/modalias; do
     modprobe $(cat $i)
 done
 
+# Bring up the network devices.
+modprobe af_packet
+for i in $(cd /sys/class/net && ls -d *); do
+    echo "Bringing up network device $i..."
+    if ifconfig $i up; then
+        if test "$i" != "lo"; then
+            mkdir -p /var/state/dhcp
+            dhclient $i
+        fi
+    fi
+done
+
 # login/su absolutely need this.
 touch /etc/login.defs 
 
diff --git a/test/boot-stage-2.nix b/test/boot-stage-2.nix
index 4b7ab3c318e1..4514d1779ad4 100644
--- a/test/boot-stage-2.nix
+++ b/test/boot-stage-2.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 { genericSubstituter, shell, coreutils, findutils
 , utillinux, kernel, sysklogd, mingetty, udev
-, module_init_tools
+, module_init_tools, nettools, dhcp
 , path ? []
 }:
 
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ genericSubstituter {
     utillinux
     udev
     module_init_tools
+    nettools
+    dhcp
   ];
   extraPath = path;
   makeDevices = ./make-devices.sh;
diff --git a/test/rescue-system.nix b/test/rescue-system.nix
index eda7cf599d49..fd22e482f2e3 100644
--- a/test/rescue-system.nix
+++ b/test/rescue-system.nix
@@ -64,8 +64,10 @@ rec {
   # everything else to bring up the system.
   bootStage2 = import ./boot-stage-2.nix {
     inherit (pkgs) genericSubstituter coreutils findutils
-      utillinux kernel sysklogd udev module_init_tools;
+      utillinux kernel sysklogd udev module_init_tools
+      nettools;
     shell = pkgs.bash + "/bin/sh";
+    dhcp = pkgs.dhcpWrapper;
 
     # Additional stuff; add whatever you want here.
     path = [
@@ -83,8 +85,7 @@ rec {
       pkgs.less
       pkgs.nano
       pkgs.netcat
-      pkgs.nettools
-      pkgs.vim
+#      pkgs.vim
       pkgs.nix
       pkgs.strace
       pkgs.sysvinit