diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix b/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
index 6b69d559748c..52a50b892ec6 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
@@ -442,7 +442,9 @@ in
 
                 ${flip concatMapStrings cfg.hostKeys (k: ''
                   if ! [ -s "${k.path}" ]; then
-                      rm -f "${k.path}"
+                      if ! [ -h "${k.path}" ]; then
+                          rm -f "${k.path}"
+                      fi
                       ssh-keygen \
                         -t "${k.type}" \
                         ${if k ? bits then "-b ${toString k.bits}" else ""} \