diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/activation/activation-script.nix b/nixos/modules/system/activation/activation-script.nix
index 41fe7d309a5a..fe5935c2ffad 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/activation/activation-script.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/activation/activation-script.nix
@@ -109,12 +109,12 @@ in
       ''
         # Various log/runtime directories.
 
-        touch /var/run/utmp # must exist
-        chgrp ${toString config.ids.gids.utmp} /var/run/utmp
-        chmod 664 /var/run/utmp
+        touch /run/utmp # must exist
+        chgrp ${toString config.ids.gids.utmp} /run/utmp
+        chmod 664 /run/utmp
 
-        mkdir -m 0755 -p /var/run/nix/current-load # for distributed builds
-        mkdir -m 0700 -p /var/run/nix/remote-stores
+        mkdir -m 0755 -p /run/nix/current-load # for distributed builds
+        mkdir -m 0700 -p /run/nix/remote-stores
 
         mkdir -m 0755 -p /var/log