diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/continuous-integration/gitlab-runner.nix b/nixos/modules/services/continuous-integration/gitlab-runner.nix
index 85ac0fb2a890..d4d4fb6d070d 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/continuous-integration/gitlab-runner.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/continuous-integration/gitlab-runner.nix
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ let
       export CONFIG_FILE=${configPath}
 
       mkdir -p $(dirname ${configPath})
+      touch ${configPath}
+
+      # update global options
+      remarshal --if toml --of json ${configPath} \
+        | jq -cM 'with_entries(select([.key] | inside(["runners"])))' \
+        | jq -scM '.[0] + .[1]' - <(echo ${escapeShellArg (toJSON cfg.settings)}) \
+        | remarshal --if json --of toml \
+        | sponge ${configPath}
 
       # remove no longer existing services
       gitlab-runner verify --delete
@@ -91,22 +99,6 @@ let
           --name "$NAME" && sleep 1
       done
 
-      # update global options
-      remarshal --if toml --of json ${configPath} \
-        | jq -cM ${escapeShellArg (concatStringsSep " | " [
-            ".check_interval = ${toJSON cfg.checkInterval}"
-            ".concurrent = ${toJSON cfg.concurrent}"
-            ".sentry_dsn = ${toJSON cfg.sentryDSN}"
-            ".listen_address = ${toJSON cfg.prometheusListenAddress}"
-            ".session_server.listen_address = ${toJSON cfg.sessionServer.listenAddress}"
-            ".session_server.advertise_address = ${toJSON cfg.sessionServer.advertiseAddress}"
-            ".session_server.session_timeout = ${toJSON cfg.sessionServer.sessionTimeout}"
-            "del(.[] | nulls)"
-            "del(.session_server[] | nulls)"
-          ])} \
-        | remarshal --if json --of toml \
-        | sponge ${configPath}
-
       # make config file readable by service
       chown -R --reference=$HOME $(dirname ${configPath})
     '');
@@ -133,85 +125,15 @@ in
         for settings not covered by this module.
       '';
     };
-    checkInterval = mkOption {
-      type = types.int;
-      default = 0;
-      example = literalExpression "with lib; (length (attrNames config.services.gitlab-runner.services)) * 3";
-      description = ''
-        Defines the interval length, in seconds, between new jobs check.
-        The default value is 3;
-        if set to 0 or lower, the default value will be used.
-        See <link xlink:href="https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/configuration/advanced-configuration.html#how-check_interval-works">runner documentation</link> for more information.
-      '';
-    };
-    concurrent = mkOption {
-      type = types.int;
-      default = 1;
-      example = literalExpression "config.nix.settings.max-jobs";
-      description = ''
-        Limits how many jobs globally can be run concurrently.
-        The most upper limit of jobs using all defined runners.
-        0 does not mean unlimited.
-      '';
-    };
-    sentryDSN = mkOption {
-      type = types.nullOr types.str;
-      default = null;
-      example = "https://public:private@host:port/1";
-      description = ''
-        Data Source Name for tracking of all system level errors to Sentry.
-      '';
-    };
-    prometheusListenAddress = mkOption {
-      type = types.nullOr types.str;
-      default = null;
-      example = "localhost:8080";
-      description = ''
-        Address (&lt;host&gt;:&lt;port&gt;) on which the Prometheus metrics HTTP server
-        should be listening.
-      '';
-    };
-    sessionServer = mkOption {
+    settings = mkOption {
       type = types.submodule {
-        options = {
-          listenAddress = mkOption {
-            type = types.nullOr types.str;
-            default = null;
-            example = "0.0.0.0:8093";
-            description = ''
-              An internal URL to be used for the session server.
-            '';
-          };
-          advertiseAddress = mkOption {
-            type = types.nullOr types.str;
-            default = null;
-            example = "runner-host-name.tld:8093";
-            description = ''
-              The URL that the Runner will expose to GitLab to be used
-              to access the session server.
-              Fallbacks to <option>listenAddress</option> if not defined.
-            '';
-          };
-          sessionTimeout = mkOption {
-            type = types.int;
-            default = 1800;
-            description = ''
-              How long in seconds the session can stay active after
-              the job completes (which will block the job from finishing).
-            '';
-          };
-        };
+        freeformType = (pkgs.formats.json { }).type;
       };
       default = { };
-      example = literalExpression ''
-        {
-          listenAddress = "0.0.0.0:8093";
-        }
-      '';
       description = ''
-        The session server allows the user to interact with jobs
-        that the Runner is responsible for. A good example of this is the
-        <link xlink:href="https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/ci/interactive_web_terminal/index.html">interactive web terminal</link>.
+        Global gitlab-runner configuration. See
+        <link xlink:href="https://docs.gitlab.com/runner/configuration/advanced-configuration.html#the-global-section"/>
+        for supported values.
       '';
     };
     gracefulTermination = mkOption {
@@ -537,6 +459,7 @@ in
       (n: v: "services.gitlab-runner.services.${n}.`registrationConfigFile` points to a file in Nix Store. You should use quoted absolute path to prevent this.")
       (filterAttrs (n: v: isStorePath v.registrationConfigFile) cfg.services))
     ++ optional (cfg.configFile != null) "services.gitlab-runner.`configFile` is deprecated, please use services.gitlab-runner.`services`.";
+
     environment.systemPackages = [ cfg.package ];
     systemd.services.gitlab-runner = {
       description = "Gitlab Runner";
@@ -584,5 +507,14 @@ in
     (mkRenamedOptionModule [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "packages" ] [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "extraPackages" ] )
     (mkRemovedOptionModule [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "configOptions" ] "Use services.gitlab-runner.services option instead" )
     (mkRemovedOptionModule [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "workDir" ] "You should move contents of workDir (if any) to /var/lib/gitlab-runner" )
+
+    (mkRenamedOptionModule [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "checkInterval" ] [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "settings" "check_interval" ] )
+    (mkRenamedOptionModule [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "concurrent" ] [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "settings" "concurrent" ] )
+    (mkRenamedOptionModule [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "sentryDSN" ] [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "settings" "sentry_dsn" ] )
+    (mkRenamedOptionModule [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "prometheusListenAddress" ] [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "settings" "listen_address" ] )
+
+    (mkRenamedOptionModule [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "sessionServer" "listenAddress" ] [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "settings" "session_server" "listen_address" ] )
+    (mkRenamedOptionModule [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "sessionServer" "advertiseAddress" ] [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "settings" "session_server" "advertise_address" ] )
+    (mkRenamedOptionModule [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "sessionServer" "sessionTimeout" ] [ "services" "gitlab-runner" "settings" "session_server" "session_timeout" ] )
   ];
 }