diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd/initrd.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd/initrd.nix
index f937581b76f6..1ec460714691 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd/initrd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd/initrd.nix
@@ -371,6 +371,7 @@ in {
       managerEnvironment.PATH = "/bin:/sbin";
 
       contents = {
+        "/tmp/.keep".text = "systemd requires the /tmp mount point in the initrd cpio archive";
         "/init".source = "${cfg.package}/lib/systemd/systemd";
         "/etc/systemd/system".source = stage1Units;