diff --git a/nixos/modules/security/systemd-confinement.nix b/nixos/modules/security/systemd-confinement.nix
index afb81a2b56b..0a09a755e93 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/security/systemd-confinement.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/security/systemd-confinement.nix
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ in {
         wantsAPIVFS = lib.mkDefault (config.confinement.mode == "full-apivfs");
       in lib.mkIf config.confinement.enable {
         serviceConfig = {
-          RootDirectory = pkgs.runCommand rootName {} "mkdir \"$out\"";
+          RootDirectory = "/var/empty";
           TemporaryFileSystem = "/";
           PrivateMounts = lib.mkDefault true;