diff --git a/src/nix-env/nix-env.cc b/src/nix-env/nix-env.cc
index eb33020e0..ed5d53cbc 100644
--- a/src/nix-env/nix-env.cc
+++ b/src/nix-env/nix-env.cc
@@ -1532,7 +1532,7 @@ static int main_nix_env(int argc, char * * argv)
             globals.profile = getEnv("NIX_PROFILE").value_or("");
 
         if (globals.profile == "") {
-            globals.profile = ensureDefaultProfile();
+            globals.profile = getDefaultProfile();
         }
 
         op(globals, std::move(opFlags), std::move(opArgs));
diff --git a/src/nix-env/user-env.cc b/src/nix-env/user-env.cc
index f0131a458..70a1fe903 100644
--- a/src/nix-env/user-env.cc
+++ b/src/nix-env/user-env.cc
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ bool createUserEnv(EvalState & state, DrvInfos & elems,
     const Path & profile, bool keepDerivations,
     const std::string & lockToken)
 {
+    debug("asked to create a user env %s for %u drvs", profile, elems.size());
     /* Build the components in the user environment, if they don't
        exist already. */
     std::vector<StorePathWithOutputs> drvsToBuild;
@@ -131,10 +132,11 @@ bool createUserEnv(EvalState & state, DrvInfos & elems,
         state.repair ? bmRepair : bmNormal);
 
     /* Switch the current user environment to the output path. */
-    auto store2 = state.store.dynamic_pointer_cast<LocalFSStore>();
+    auto localStore = state.store.dynamic_pointer_cast<LocalFSStore>();
 
-    if (store2) {
+    if (localStore) {
         PathLocks lock;
+        debug("locking profile %s", profile);
         lockProfile(lock, profile);
 
         Path lockTokenCur = optimisticLockProfile(profile);
@@ -144,7 +146,7 @@ bool createUserEnv(EvalState & state, DrvInfos & elems,
         }
 
         debug("switching to new user environment");
-        Path generation = createGeneration(*store2, profile, topLevelOut);
+        Path generation = createGeneration(*localStore, profile, topLevelOut);
         switchLink(profile, generation);
     }