diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix
index 750a462ad868..f00888b94c44 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix
@@ -604,6 +604,10 @@ in
 
     environment.systemPackages = [ cfg.package ];
 
+    environment.variables = {
+      SYSTEMD_XKB_DIRECTORY = "/etc/X11/xkb";
+    };
+
     environment.etc =
       let
         # generate contents for /etc/systemd/${dir} from attrset of links and packages
diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/systemd/0008-localectl-use-etc-X11-xkb-for-list-x11.patch b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/systemd/0008-localectl-use-etc-X11-xkb-for-list-x11.patch
deleted file mode 100644
index d2eb05c290be..000000000000
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/systemd/0008-localectl-use-etc-X11-xkb-for-list-x11.patch
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-From 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
-From: Imuli <i@imu.li>
-Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2016 08:46:47 -0400
-Subject: [PATCH] localectl: use /etc/X11/xkb for list-x11-*
-
-NixOS has an option to link the xkb data files to /etc/X11, but not to
-/usr/share/X11.
----
- src/locale/localectl.c | 2 +-
- 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
-
-diff --git a/src/locale/localectl.c b/src/locale/localectl.c
-index 63703007ad..50def81940 100644
---- a/src/locale/localectl.c
-+++ b/src/locale/localectl.c
-@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ static const char* xkb_directory(void) {
-         static const char *cached = NULL;
- 
-         if (!cached)
--                cached = secure_getenv("SYSTEMD_XKB_DIRECTORY") ?: "/usr/share/X11/xkb";
-+                cached = secure_getenv("SYSTEMD_XKB_DIRECTORY") ?: "/etc/X11/xkb";
-         return cached;
- }
- 
diff --git a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/systemd/default.nix b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/systemd/default.nix
index 87e31809c86d..812d7227a48c 100644
--- a/pkgs/os-specific/linux/systemd/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/os-specific/linux/systemd/default.nix
@@ -239,7 +239,6 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation (finalAttrs: {
   patches = [
     ./0002-Don-t-try-to-unmount-nix-or-nix-store.patch
     ./0007-Change-usr-share-zoneinfo-to-etc-zoneinfo.patch
-    ./0008-localectl-use-etc-X11-xkb-for-list-x11.patch
     ./0009-add-rootprefix-to-lookup-dir-paths.patch
     ./0010-systemd-shutdown-execute-scripts-in-etc-systemd-syst.patch
     ./0011-systemd-sleep-execute-scripts-in-etc-systemd-system-.patch