diff --git a/modules/misc/news.nix b/modules/misc/news.nix
index 9a5a27d7b..4c3675244 100644
--- a/modules/misc/news.nix
+++ b/modules/misc/news.nix
@@ -1954,6 +1954,18 @@ in
         '';
       }
 
+      {
+        time = "2021-05-02T11:22:42+00:00";
+        condition = hostPlatform.isLinux && config.services.sxhkd.enable;
+        message = ''
+          The sxhkd service now is started using 'xsession.initExtra',
+          therefore this module loses systemd service management capabilities
+          and works only if Home Manager starts the user X session.
+
+          The option 'services.sxhkd.extraPath' has been deprecated.
+        '';
+      }
+      
       {
         time = "2021-05-06T20:47:37+00:00";
         condition = hostPlatform.isLinux;
diff --git a/modules/services/sxhkd.nix b/modules/services/sxhkd.nix
index f36cc9d66..031722a0f 100644
--- a/modules/services/sxhkd.nix
+++ b/modules/services/sxhkd.nix
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@ let
 in
 
 {
+  imports = [
+    (mkRemovedOptionModule ["services" "sxhkd" "extraPath"]
+    "This option is no longer needed and can be removed.")
+  ];
+
   options.services.sxhkd = {
     enable = mkEnableOption "simple X hotkey daemon";
 
@@ -57,44 +62,19 @@ in
           i3-msg {workspace,move container to workspace} {1-10}
       '';
     };
-
-    extraPath = mkOption {
-      default = "";
-      type = types.envVar;
-      description = ''
-        Additional <envar>PATH</envar> entries to search for commands.
-      '';
-      example = "/home/some-user/bin:/extra/path/bin";
-    };
   };
 
   config = mkIf cfg.enable {
-    home.packages = [ pkgs.sxhkd ];
+    home.packages = [ cfg.package ];
 
     xdg.configFile."sxhkd/sxhkdrc".text = concatStringsSep "\n" [
       keybindingsStr
       cfg.extraConfig
     ];
 
-    systemd.user.services.sxhkd = {
-      Unit = {
-        Description = "simple X hotkey daemon";
-        After = [ "graphical-session-pre.target" ];
-        PartOf = [ "graphical-session.target" ];
-      };
-
-      Service = {
-        Environment =
-          "PATH="
-          + "${config.home.profileDirectory}/bin"
-          + optionalString (cfg.extraPath != "") ":"
-          + cfg.extraPath;
-        ExecStart = "${cfg.package}/bin/sxhkd ${toString cfg.extraOptions}";
-      };
-
-      Install = {
-        WantedBy = [ "graphical-session.target" ];
-      };
-    };
+    xsession.initExtra = ''
+      systemd-cat -t sxhkd systemd-run --user --scope -u sxhkd \
+        ${cfg.package}/bin/sxhkd ${toString cfg.extraOptions} &
+    '';
   };
 }
diff --git a/tests/modules/services/sxhkd/service.nix b/tests/modules/services/sxhkd/service.nix
index ee29b998a..2e26bb493 100644
--- a/tests/modules/services/sxhkd/service.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/services/sxhkd/service.nix
@@ -1,22 +1,31 @@
 { config, pkgs, ... }:
+
+let 
+  expectedFileRegex = ''
+      systemd-cat -t sxhkd systemd-run --user --scope -u sxhkd \
+       @sxhkd@/bin/sxhkd -m 1 &
+  '';
+in
+
 {
   config = {
+    xsession = {
+      enable = true;
+      windowManager.command = "";
+    };
+
     services.sxhkd = {
       enable = true;
       package = pkgs.runCommandLocal "dummy-package" { } "mkdir $out" // { outPath = "@sxhkd@"; };
       extraOptions = [ "-m 1" ];
-      extraPath = "/home/the-user/bin:/extra/path/bin";
     };
 
     nmt.script = ''
-      serviceFile=home-files/.config/systemd/user/sxhkd.service
+      xsessionFile=home-files/.xsession
 
-      assertFileExists $serviceFile
+      assertFileExists $xsessionFile
 
-      assertFileRegex $serviceFile 'ExecStart=@sxhkd@/bin/sxhkd -m 1'
-
-      assertFileRegex $serviceFile \
-        'Environment=PATH=.*\.nix-profile/bin:/home/the-user/bin:/extra/path/bin'
+      assertFileRegex $xsessionFile ${expectedFileRegex}
     '';
   };
 }