diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix b/nixos/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix
index 0c69caa64bba..61a8c13a70c6 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix
@@ -214,11 +214,11 @@ in
           };
       };
 
-    users.users._dhcpcd = {
+    users.users.dhcpcd = {
       isSystemUser = true;
-      group = "_dhcpcd";
+      group = "dhcpcd";
     };
-    users.groups._dhcpcd = {};
+    users.groups.dhcpcd = {};
 
     environment.systemPackages = [ dhcpcd ];
 
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/networking/dhcpcd/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/networking/dhcpcd/default.nix
index 2f27956a7973..d60c87e51ff9 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/networking/dhcpcd/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/networking/dhcpcd/default.nix
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   ++ lib.optionals enablePrivSep [
     "--enable-privsep"
     # dhcpcd disables privsep if it can't find the default user,
-    # so we explicitly specify the default.
-    "--privsepuser=_dhcpcd"
+    # so we explicitly specify a user.
+    "--privsepuser=dhcpcd"
   ];
 
   makeFlags = [ "PREFIX=${placeholder "out"}" ];