diff --git a/nixos/modules/misc/locate.nix b/nixos/modules/misc/locate.nix
index acf441cda628..482d12fe0ca3 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/misc/locate.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/misc/locate.nix
@@ -230,9 +230,7 @@ in
         plocate = (mkIf isPLocate (mkMerge [ common plocate ]));
       };
 
-    nixpkgs.config = { locate.dbfile = cfg.output; };
-
-    environment.systemPackages = [ cfg.locate ];
+    environment.systemPackages = [ (cfg.locate.override { dbfile = cfg.output; }) ];
 
     environment.variables = mkIf (!isMorPLocate) { LOCATE_PATH = cfg.output; };
 
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/misc/mlocate/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/misc/mlocate/default.nix
index 12d9f5622cc4..b57f109eda0a 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/misc/mlocate/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/misc/mlocate/default.nix
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
-{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, config }:
+{ lib, stdenv, fetchurl, config, dbfile ? config.locate.dbfile or "/var/cache/locatedb" }:
 
-let
-  dbfile = lib.attrByPath [ "locate" "dbfile" ] "/var/cache/locatedb" config;
-in stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
+stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "mlocate";
   version = "0.26";
 
diff --git a/pkgs/tools/misc/plocate/default.nix b/pkgs/tools/misc/plocate/default.nix
index 356d58ccbc35..a49ff5d18389 100644
--- a/pkgs/tools/misc/plocate/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/tools/misc/plocate/default.nix
@@ -8,10 +8,8 @@
 , systemd
 , liburing
 , zstd
+, dbfile ? config.locate.dbfile or "/var/cache/locatedb"
 }:
-let
-  dbfile = lib.attrByPath [ "locate" "dbfile" ] "/var/cache/locatedb" config;
-in
 stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   pname = "plocate";
   version = "1.1.19";