diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/networking/smokeping.nix b/nixos/modules/services/networking/smokeping.nix
index d15f8689dd73..5990c0d4fa2e 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/networking/smokeping.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/networking/smokeping.nix
@@ -337,12 +337,12 @@ in
       serviceConfig = {
         User = cfg.user;
         Restart = "on-failure";
+        ExecStartPre = [
+          "${cfg.package}/bin/smokeping --check --config=${configPath}"
+          "${cfg.package}/bin/smokeping --static --config=${configPath}"
+        ];
         ExecStart = "${cfg.package}/bin/smokeping --config=/etc/smokeping.conf --nodaemon";
       };
-      preStart = ''
-        ${cfg.package}/bin/smokeping --check --config=${configPath}
-        ${cfg.package}/bin/smokeping --static --config=${configPath}
-      '';
     };
 
     systemd.tmpfiles.rules = [