diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 8936bb1a1..1e0747a04 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ jobs:
         signingKey: '${{ secrets.CACHIX_SIGNING_KEY }}'
     - run: ./format -c
     - run: nix-shell . -A install
-    - run: nix-shell --pure tests -A run.all
+    - run: nix-shell --arg enableBig false --pure tests -A run.all
diff --git a/modules/programs/emacs.nix b/modules/programs/emacs.nix
index b785f7135..bd68f68ab 100644
--- a/modules/programs/emacs.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/emacs.nix
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ let
 
   emacsWithPackages = emacsPackages.emacsWithPackages;
 
+  createConfPackage = epkgs:
+    epkgs.trivialBuild {
+      pname = "default";
+      src = pkgs.writeText "default.el" cfg.extraConfig;
+    };
+
 in {
   meta.maintainers = [ maintainers.rycee ];
 
@@ -28,6 +34,23 @@ in {
         description = "The Emacs package to use.";
       };
 
+      # NOTE: The config is placed in default.el instead of ~/.emacs.d so that
+      # it won't conflict with Emacs configuration frameworks. Users of these
+      # frameworks would still benefit from this option as it would easily allow
+      # them to have Nix-computed paths in their configuration.
+      extraConfig = mkOption {
+        type = types.lines;
+        default = "";
+        example = ''
+          (setq standard-indent 2)
+        '';
+        description = ''
+          Configuration to include in the Emacs default init file. See
+          <link xlink:href="https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Init-File.html"/>
+          for more.
+        '';
+      };
+
       extraPackages = mkOption {
         default = self: [ ];
         type = hm.types.selectorFunction;
@@ -68,6 +91,10 @@ in {
 
   config = mkIf cfg.enable {
     home.packages = [ cfg.finalPackage ];
-    programs.emacs.finalPackage = emacsWithPackages cfg.extraPackages;
+    programs.emacs = {
+      finalPackage = emacsWithPackages cfg.extraPackages;
+      extraPackages = epkgs:
+        optional (cfg.extraConfig != "") (createConfPackage epkgs);
+    };
   };
 }
diff --git a/tests/default.nix b/tests/default.nix
index e71e1fd8a..31ef62503 100644
--- a/tests/default.nix
+++ b/tests/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ pkgs ? import <nixpkgs> {} }:
+{ pkgs ? import <nixpkgs> {}, enableBig ? true }:
 
 let
 
@@ -135,5 +135,7 @@ import nmt {
     ./modules/services/wlsunset
     ./modules/systemd
     ./modules/targets-linux
+  ] ++ lib.optionals enableBig [
+    ./modules/programs/emacs
   ]);
 }
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/emacs/default.nix b/tests/modules/programs/emacs/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b1b0c566d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/emacs/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{ emacs-extra-config = ./extra-config.nix; }
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/emacs/extra-config.nix b/tests/modules/programs/emacs/extra-config.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..67778c351
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/emacs/extra-config.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+let
+
+  testScript = pkgs.writeText "test.el" ''
+    ;; Emacs won't automatically load default.el when --script is specified
+    (load "default")
+    (kill-emacs (if (eq hm 'home-manager) 0 1))
+  '';
+
+  emacsBin = "${config.programs.emacs.finalPackage}/bin/emacs";
+
+in {
+  programs.emacs = {
+    enable = true;
+    package = pkgs.emacs-nox;
+    extraConfig = "(setq hm 'home-manager)";
+  };
+
+  # running emacs with --script would enable headless mode
+  nmt.script = ''
+    if ! ${emacsBin} --script ${testScript}; then
+      fail "Failed to load default.el."
+    fi
+  '';
+}