diff --git a/gnu/build/image.scm b/gnu/build/image.scm
index 8d5fc603d9..f6e5cb42f6 100644
--- a/gnu/build/image.scm
+++ b/gnu/build/image.scm
@@ -151,7 +151,6 @@ (define* (register-closure prefix closure
        #:wal-mode? wal-mode?
        (register-items db items
                        #:prefix prefix
-                       #:deduplicate? #f
                        #:registration-time %epoch)))))
 
 (define* (initialize-efi-partition root
diff --git a/gnu/build/vm.scm b/gnu/build/vm.scm
index 8c6ab648ac..bd59916bf3 100644
--- a/gnu/build/vm.scm
+++ b/gnu/build/vm.scm
@@ -224,7 +224,6 @@ (define* (register-closure prefix closure
       (with-database (store-database-file #:prefix prefix) db
         (register-items db items
                         #:prefix prefix
-                        #:deduplicate? #f
                         #:registration-time %epoch)))))
 
 
diff --git a/guix/nar.scm b/guix/nar.scm
index 947b393d84..a817b56007 100644
--- a/guix/nar.scm
+++ b/guix/nar.scm
@@ -118,8 +118,7 @@ (define (acquire-lock file)
           ;; Register TARGET.  The 'restore-file' call took care of
           ;; deduplication, timestamps, and permissions.
           (register-items db
-                          (list (store-info target deriver references))
-                          #:deduplicate? #f))
+                          (list (store-info target deriver references))))
 
         (when lock?
           (delete-file (string-append target ".lock"))
diff --git a/guix/scripts/pack.scm b/guix/scripts/pack.scm
index 440c4b0903..8ecdcb823f 100644
--- a/guix/scripts/pack.scm
+++ b/guix/scripts/pack.scm
@@ -167,7 +167,6 @@ (define db-file
             (let ((items (append-map read-closure '#$labels)))
               (with-database db-file db
                 (register-items db items
-                                #:deduplicate? #f
                                 #:registration-time %epoch)))))))
 
   (computed-file "store-database" build
diff --git a/guix/store/database.scm b/guix/store/database.scm
index 0ed66a6e2c..31ea9add78 100644
--- a/guix/store/database.scm
+++ b/guix/store/database.scm
@@ -407,6 +407,11 @@ (define db-file
   (define real-file-name
     (string-append (or prefix "") path))
 
+  (when deduplicate?
+    (deduplicate real-file-name (nar-sha256 real-file-name)
+                 #:store (string-append (or prefix "")
+                                        %store-directory)))
+
   (when reset-timestamps?
     (reset-timestamps real-file-name))
 
@@ -414,7 +419,6 @@ (define real-file-name
     (with-database db-file db
       (register-items db (list (store-info path deriver references))
                       #:prefix prefix
-                      #:deduplicate? deduplicate?
                       #:log-port (%make-void-port "w")))))
 
 (define %epoch
@@ -423,7 +427,6 @@ (define %epoch
 
 (define* (register-items db items
                          #:key prefix
-                         (deduplicate? #t)
                          registration-time
                          (log-port (current-error-port)))
   "Register all of ITEMS, a list of <store-info> records as returned by
@@ -467,9 +470,7 @@ (define real-file-name
                                      "sha256:"
                                      (bytevector->base16-string hash))
                              #:nar-size nar-size
-                             #:time registration-time)))
-        (when deduplicate?
-          (deduplicate real-file-name hash #:store store-dir)))))
+                             #:time registration-time))))))
 
   (let* ((prefix   (format #f "registering ~a items" (length items)))
          (progress (progress-reporter/bar (length items)