diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix b/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
index 230ab673a97..d467c3c0471 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
@@ -441,6 +441,7 @@ in
 
                 ${flip concatMapStrings cfg.hostKeys (k: ''
                   if ! [ -s "${k.path}" ]; then
+                      rm -f "${k.path}"
                       ssh-keygen \
                         -t "${k.type}" \
                         ${if k ? bits then "-b ${toString k.bits}" else ""} \