diff --git a/modules/systemd.nix b/modules/systemd.nix
index 18e88819..041b9dfa 100644
--- a/modules/systemd.nix
+++ b/modules/systemd.nix
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ let
 
   cfg = config.systemd.user;
 
-  inherit (lib) getAttr hm isBool literalExpression mkIf mkMerge mkOption types;
+  inherit (lib)
+    any attrValues getAttr hm isBool literalExpression mkIf mkMerge mkOption
+    types;
 
   settingsFormat = pkgs.formats.ini { listsAsDuplicateKeys = true; };
 
@@ -93,7 +95,7 @@ let
       + "\n";
   };
 
-  settings = mkIf (cfg.settings != { }) {
+  settings = mkIf (any (v: v != { }) (attrValues cfg.settings)) {
     "systemd/user.conf".source =
       settingsFormat.generate "user.conf" cfg.settings;
   };
diff --git a/tests/modules/systemd/default.nix b/tests/modules/systemd/default.nix
index 250b8c79..ee8a9ae6 100644
--- a/tests/modules/systemd/default.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/systemd/default.nix
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
   systemd-services-disabled-for-root = ./services-disabled-for-root.nix;
   systemd-session-variables = ./session-variables.nix;
   systemd-user-config = ./user-config.nix;
+  systemd-empty-user-config = ./empty-user-config.nix;
   systemd-slices = ./slices.nix;
   systemd-timers = ./timers.nix;
 }
diff --git a/tests/modules/systemd/empty-user-config.nix b/tests/modules/systemd/empty-user-config.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9e192ae4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/modules/systemd/empty-user-config.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{ pkgs, ... }:
+
+{
+  nmt.script = ''
+    userConf=home-files/.config/systemd/user.conf
+    assertPathNotExists $userConf
+  '';
+}