diff --git a/src/nix/build.cc b/src/nix/build.cc
index 00bda1fd1..cc96ac48a 100644
--- a/src/nix/build.cc
+++ b/src/nix/build.cc
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ struct CmdBuild : MixDryRun, InstallablesCommand
 
     void run(ref<Store> store) override
     {
-        auto paths = buildInstallables(store, dryRun);
+        auto paths = toStorePaths(store, dryRun ? DryRun : Build);
 
         printInfo("build result: %s", showPaths(paths));
     }
diff --git a/src/nix/command.cc b/src/nix/command.cc
index 96b685a5b..6b608a708 100644
--- a/src/nix/command.cc
+++ b/src/nix/command.cc
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ void StorePathsCommand::run(ref<Store> store)
     }
 
     else {
-        for (auto & p : buildInstallables(store, false))
+        for (auto & p : toStorePaths(store, NoBuild))
             storePaths.push_back(p);
 
         if (recursive) {
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ void StorePathsCommand::run(ref<Store> store)
 
 void StorePathCommand::run(ref<Store> store)
 {
-    auto storePaths = buildInstallables(store, false);
+    auto storePaths = toStorePaths(store, NoBuild);
 
     if (storePaths.size() != 1)
         throw UsageError("this command requires exactly one store path");
diff --git a/src/nix/command.hh b/src/nix/command.hh
index 4800b5c91..eb736ce3a 100644
--- a/src/nix/command.hh
+++ b/src/nix/command.hh
@@ -80,7 +80,9 @@ struct InstallablesCommand : virtual Args, StoreCommand
 
     std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Installable>> parseInstallables(ref<Store> store, Strings ss);
 
-    PathSet buildInstallables(ref<Store> store, bool dryRun);
+    enum ToStorePathsMode { Build, NoBuild, DryRun };
+
+    PathSet toStorePaths(ref<Store> store, ToStorePathsMode mode);
 
     ref<EvalState> getEvalState();
 
diff --git a/src/nix/installables.cc b/src/nix/installables.cc
index 9982ff75f..f0d5d547c 100644
--- a/src/nix/installables.cc
+++ b/src/nix/installables.cc
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ std::vector<std::shared_ptr<Installable>> InstallablesCommand::parseInstallables
     return result;
 }
 
-PathSet InstallablesCommand::buildInstallables(ref<Store> store, bool dryRun)
+PathSet InstallablesCommand::toStorePaths(ref<Store> store, ToStorePathsMode mode)
 {
     PathSet buildables;
 
@@ -223,9 +223,9 @@ PathSet InstallablesCommand::buildInstallables(ref<Store> store, bool dryRun)
         buildables.insert(b.begin(), b.end());
     }
 
-    if (dryRun)
+    if (mode == DryRun)
         printMissing(store, buildables);
-    else
+    else if (mode == Build)
         store->buildPaths(buildables);
 
     PathSet outPaths;
diff --git a/src/nix/run.cc b/src/nix/run.cc
index bcfa74eb5..49fe4e7a0 100644
--- a/src/nix/run.cc
+++ b/src/nix/run.cc
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ struct CmdRun : InstallablesCommand
 
     void run(ref<Store> store) override
     {
-        auto outPaths = buildInstallables(store, false);
+        auto outPaths = toStorePaths(store, Build);
 
         auto store2 = store.dynamic_pointer_cast<LocalStore>();