diff --git a/modules/programs/neovim.nix b/modules/programs/neovim.nix
index 88683e40..4560c930 100644
--- a/modules/programs/neovim.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/neovim.nix
@@ -365,15 +365,13 @@ in {
       in mkMerge (
         # writes runtime
         (map (x: x.runtime) pluginsNormalized) ++ [{
-          "nvim/init-home-manager.vim" =
-            mkIf (neovimConfig.neovimRcContent != "") {
-              text = neovimConfig.neovimRcContent;
-            };
           "nvim/init.lua" = let
             luaRcContent =
               lib.optionalString (neovimConfig.neovimRcContent != "")
-              "vim.cmd [[source ${config.xdg.configHome}/nvim/init-home-manager.vim]]"
-              + lib.optionalString hasLuaConfig
+              "vim.cmd [[source ${
+                pkgs.writeText "nvim-init-home-manager.vim"
+                neovimConfig.neovimRcContent
+              }]]" + lib.optionalString hasLuaConfig
               config.programs.neovim.generatedConfigs.lua;
           in mkIf (luaRcContent != "") { text = luaRcContent; };
 
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.nix b/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.nix
index 843330b9..e4921aae 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.nix
@@ -7,16 +7,14 @@ with lib;
     programs.neovim = {
       enable = true;
       extraConfig = ''
-        " This 'extraConfig' should be present in vimrc
+        let g:hmExtraConfig='HM_EXTRA_CONFIG'
       '';
       plugins = with pkgs.vimPlugins; [
         vim-nix
         {
           plugin = vim-commentary;
           config = ''
-            " plugin-specific config
-            autocmd FileType c setlocal commentstring=//\ %s
-            autocmd FileType c setlocal comments=://
+            let g:hmPlugins='HM_PLUGINS_CONFIG'
           '';
         }
       ];
@@ -24,11 +22,12 @@ with lib;
     };
 
     nmt.script = ''
-      vimrc="$TESTED/home-files/.config/nvim/init-home-manager.vim"
-      vimrcNormalized="$(normalizeStorePaths "$vimrc")"
-
-      assertFileExists "$vimrc"
-      assertFileContent "$vimrcNormalized" "${./plugin-config.vim}"
+      vimout=$(mktemp)
+      echo "redir >> /dev/stdout | echo g:hmExtraConfig | echo g:hmPlugins | redir END" \
+        | ${pkgs.neovim}/bin/nvim -es -u "$TESTED/home-files/.config/nvim/init.lua" \
+        > "$vimout"
+      assertFileContains "$vimout" "HM_EXTRA_CONFIG"
+      assertFileContains "$vimout" "HM_PLUGINS_CONFIG"
     '';
   };
 }
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.vim b/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.vim
deleted file mode 100644
index 8f2e1062..00000000
--- a/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.vim
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-" plugin-specific config
-autocmd FileType c setlocal commentstring=//\ %s
-autocmd FileType c setlocal comments=://
-
-" This 'extraConfig' should be present in vimrc