diff --git a/system/etc.nix b/system/etc.nix
index 917491fcb1da..5f5d1e8da59b 100644
--- a/system/etc.nix
+++ b/system/etc.nix
@@ -79,7 +79,18 @@ import ../helpers/make-etc.nix {
 
     { # Configuration file for fontconfig used to locate
       # (X11) client-rendered fonts.
-      source = ./etc/fonts/fonts.conf;
+      source = pkgs.substituteAll {
+        src = ./etc/fonts/fonts.conf;
+        fontDirectories = map (dir: "<dir>${dir}</dir>")
+          [ # Search for fonts in...
+            # - the user's .fonts directory
+            "~/.fonts"
+            # - the user's current profile
+            "~/.nix-profile/lib/X11/fonts"
+            # - the default profile
+            "/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/lib/X11/fonts"
+          ];
+      };
       target = "fonts/fonts.conf";
     }
 
diff --git a/system/etc/fonts/fonts.conf b/system/etc/fonts/fonts.conf
index ff4a608e9285..012a3008a57e 100644
--- a/system/etc/fonts/fonts.conf
+++ b/system/etc/fonts/fonts.conf
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@
 
 <fontconfig>
 
-  <dir>/nix/var/nix/profiles/default/lib/X11/fonts</dir>
-  <dir>~/.nix-profile/lib/X11/fonts</dir>
-  <dir>~/.fonts</dir>
+  @fontDirectories@
   
 </fontconfig>