diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/networking/ax25/axports.nix b/nixos/modules/services/networking/ax25/axports.nix
index 257d7ee8c1c5..b0cf7aeb6ddc 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/networking/ax25/axports.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/networking/ax25/axports.nix
@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ in
 
   config = mkIf (enabledAxports != { }) {
 
+    system.requiredKernelConfig = [
+      (config.lib.kernelConfig.isEnabled "ax25")
+    ];
+
     environment.etc."ax25/axports" = {
       text = concatStringsSep "\n" (
         mapAttrsToList (