diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/misc/guix/default.nix b/nixos/modules/services/misc/guix/default.nix
index 7b468e7067cc..3e1a212693b9 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/misc/guix/default.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/misc/guix/default.nix
@@ -373,7 +373,6 @@ in
         serviceConfig = {
           Type = "oneshot";
 
-          MemoryDenyWriteExecute = true;
           PrivateDevices = true;
           PrivateNetworks = true;
           ProtectControlGroups = true;
diff --git a/nixos/tests/guix/basic.nix b/nixos/tests/guix/basic.nix
index 7f90bdeeb1e0..9b943b8965e6 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/guix/basic.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/guix/basic.nix
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ import ../make-test-python.nix ({ lib, pkgs, ... }: {
 
   nodes.machine = { config, ... }: {
     environment.etc."guix/scripts".source = ./scripts;
-    services.guix.enable = true;
+    services.guix = {
+      enable = true;
+      gc.enable = true;
+    };
   };
 
   testScript = ''
@@ -19,6 +22,7 @@ import ../make-test-python.nix ({ lib, pkgs, ... }: {
 
     machine.wait_for_unit("multi-user.target")
     machine.wait_for_unit("guix-daemon.service")
+    machine.succeed("systemctl start guix-gc.service")
 
     # Can't do much here since the environment has restricted network access.
     with subtest("Guix basic package management"):