diff --git a/guix/profiles.scm b/guix/profiles.scm
index ba4446bc2..4739d28a9 100644
--- a/guix/profiles.scm
+++ b/guix/profiles.scm
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 ;;; Copyright © 2014, 2016 Alex Kost <alezost@gmail.com>
 ;;; Copyright © 2015 Mark H Weaver <mhw@netris.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2015 Sou Bunnbu <iyzsong@gmail.com>
-;;; Copyright © 2016 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
+;;; Copyright © 2016, 2018 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;; Copyright © 2016 Chris Marusich <cmmarusich@gmail.com>
 ;;; Copyright © 2017 Huang Ying <huang.ying.caritas@gmail.com>
 ;;; Copyright © 2017 Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer@gmail.com>
@@ -788,7 +788,10 @@ MANIFEST."
 
   (gexp->derivation "info-dir" build
                     #:local-build? #t
-                    #:substitutable? #f))
+                    #:substitutable? #f
+                    #:properties
+                    `((type . profile-hook)
+                      (hook . "info manuals directory"))))
 
 (define (ghc-package-cache-file manifest)
   "Return a derivation that builds the GHC 'package.cache' file for all the
@@ -842,7 +845,10 @@ entries of MANIFEST, or #f if MANIFEST does not have any GHC packages."
              (map manifest-entry-name (manifest-entries manifest)))
         (gexp->derivation "ghc-package-cache" build
                           #:local-build? #t
-                          #:substitutable? #f)
+                          #:substitutable? #f
+                          #:properties
+                          `((type . profile-hook)
+                            (hook . "GHC package cache")))
         (return #f))))
 
 (define (ca-certificate-bundle manifest)
@@ -910,7 +916,10 @@ MANIFEST.  Single-file bundles are required by programs such as Git and Lynx."
 
   (gexp->derivation "ca-certificate-bundle" build
                     #:local-build? #t
-                    #:substitutable? #f))
+                    #:substitutable? #f
+                    #:properties
+                    `((type . profile-hook)
+                      (hook . "CA certificate bundle"))))
 
 (define (glib-schemas manifest)
   "Return a derivation that unions all schemas from manifest entries and
@@ -960,7 +969,10 @@ creates the Glib 'gschemas.compiled' file."
     (if %glib
         (gexp->derivation "glib-schemas" build
                           #:local-build? #t
-                          #:substitutable? #f)
+                          #:substitutable? #f
+                          #:properties
+                          `((type . profile-hook)
+                            (hook . "Glib schemas")))
         (return #f))))
 
 (define (gtk-icon-themes manifest)
@@ -1016,7 +1028,10 @@ creates the GTK+ 'icon-theme.cache' file for each theme."
     (if %gtk+
         (gexp->derivation "gtk-icon-themes" build
                           #:local-build? #t
-                          #:substitutable? #f)
+                          #:substitutable? #f
+                          #:properties
+                          `((type . profile-hook)
+                            (hook . "GTK icon themes")))
         (return #f))))
 
 (define (gtk-im-modules manifest)
@@ -1088,7 +1103,10 @@ for both major versions of GTK+."
       (if (or gtk+ gtk+-2)
           (gexp->derivation "gtk-im-modules" gexp
                             #:local-build? #t
-                            #:substitutable? #f)
+                            #:substitutable? #f
+                            #:properties
+                            `((type . profile-hook)
+                              (hook . "GTK inputs method modules")))
           (return #f)))))
 
 (define (xdg-desktop-database manifest)
@@ -1126,7 +1144,10 @@ MIME type."
     (if glib
         (gexp->derivation "xdg-desktop-database" build
                           #:local-build? #t
-                          #:substitutable? #f)
+                          #:substitutable? #f
+                          #:properties
+                          `((type . profile-hook)
+                            (hook . "XDG desktop database")))
         (return #f))))
 
 (define (xdg-mime-database manifest)
@@ -1165,7 +1186,10 @@ entries.  It's used to query the MIME type of a given file."
     (if glib
         (gexp->derivation "xdg-mime-database" build
                           #:local-build? #t
-                          #:substitutable? #f)
+                          #:substitutable? #f
+                          #:properties
+                          `((type . profile-hook)
+                            (hook . "XDG MIME database")))
         (return #f))))
 
 ;; Several font packages may install font files into same directory, so
@@ -1236,7 +1260,10 @@ files for the fonts of the @var{manifest} entries."
                                 (guix build union)
                                 (srfi srfi-26))
                     #:local-build? #t
-                    #:substitutable? #f))
+                    #:substitutable? #f
+                    #:properties
+                    `((type . profile-hook)
+                      (hook . "fonts directory"))))
 
 (define (manual-database manifest)
   "Return a derivation that builds the manual page database (\"mandb\") for
@@ -1306,7 +1333,10 @@ the entries in MANIFEST."
                     ;; <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=29654#23>.
                     #:env-vars `(("MALLOC_PERTURB_" . "1"))
 
-                    #:local-build? #t))
+                    #:local-build? #t
+                    #:properties
+                    `((type . profile-hook)
+                      (hook . "manual page database"))))
 
 (define %default-profile-hooks
   ;; This is the list of derivation-returning procedures that are called by
diff --git a/guix/status.scm b/guix/status.scm
index 868bfdca2..070c1d132 100644
--- a/guix/status.scm
+++ b/guix/status.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
 ;;; Copyright © 2017, 2018 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2018 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -336,6 +337,9 @@ addition to build events."
                                     "applying ~a grafts for ~a..."
                                     count))
                      count drv)))
+         ('profile-hook
+          (format port (info (G_ "building profile hook for ~a..."))
+                  (assq-ref properties 'hook)))
          (_
           (format port (info (G_ "building ~a...")) drv))))
      (newline port))
diff --git a/guix/ui.scm b/guix/ui.scm
index 60636edac..bf70fc134 100644
--- a/guix/ui.scm
+++ b/guix/ui.scm
@@ -822,6 +822,12 @@ warning."
     ('graft #t)
     (_ #f)))
 
+(define (profile-hook-derivation? drv)
+  "Return true if DRV is definitely a profile hook derivation, false otherwise."
+  (match (assq-ref (derivation-properties drv) 'type)
+    ('profile-hook #t)
+    (_ #f)))
+
 (define* (show-what-to-build store drv
                              #:key dry-run? (use-substitutes? #t)
                              (mode (build-mode normal)))
@@ -872,10 +878,28 @@ report what is prerequisites are available for download."
                                            substitutable-references
                                            download))))
                      download))
-                ((graft build)
-                 (partition (compose graft-derivation?
-                                     read-derivation-from-file)
-                            build)))
+                ((graft hook build)
+                 (match (fold (lambda (file acc)
+                                (let ((drv (read-derivation-from-file file)))
+                                  (match acc
+                                    ((#:graft graft #:hook hook #:build build)
+                                     (cond
+                                      ((graft-derivation? drv)
+                                       `(#:graft ,(cons file graft)
+                                         #:hook ,hook
+                                         #:build ,build))
+                                      ((profile-hook-derivation? drv)
+                                       `(#:graft ,graft
+                                         #:hook ,(cons file hook)
+                                         #:build ,build))
+                                      (else
+                                       `(#:graft ,graft
+                                         #:hook ,hook
+                                         #:build ,(cons file build))))))))
+                              '(#:graft () #:hook () #:build ())
+                              build)
+                   ((#:graft graft #:hook hook #:build build)
+                    (values graft hook build)))))
     (define installed-size
       (reduce + 0 (map substitutable-nar-size download)))
 
@@ -913,7 +937,12 @@ report what is prerequisites are available for download."
                   (N_ "~:[The following graft would be made:~%~{   ~a~%~}~;~]"
                       "~:[The following grafts would be made:~%~{   ~a~%~}~;~]"
                       (length graft))
-                  (null? graft) graft))
+                  (null? graft) graft)
+          (format (current-error-port)
+                  (N_ "~:[The following profile hook would be built:~%~{   ~a~%~}~;~]"
+                      "~:[The following profile hooks would be built:~%~{   ~a~%~}~;~]"
+                      (length hook))
+                  (null? hook) hook))
         (begin
           (format (current-error-port)
                   (N_ "~:[The following derivation will be built:~%~{   ~a~%~}~;~]"
@@ -938,7 +967,12 @@ report what is prerequisites are available for download."
                   (N_ "~:[The following graft will be made:~%~{   ~a~%~}~;~]"
                       "~:[The following grafts will be made:~%~{   ~a~%~}~;~]"
                       (length graft))
-                  (null? graft) graft)))
+                  (null? graft) graft)
+          (format (current-error-port)
+                  (N_ "~:[The following profile hook will be built:~%~{   ~a~%~}~;~]"
+                      "~:[The following profile hooks will be built:~%~{   ~a~%~}~;~]"
+                      (length hook))
+                  (null? hook) hook)))
 
     (check-available-space installed-size)
 
