diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
index 3a7f0d19db94..b19e3ac5c787 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/kernel.nix
@@ -414,7 +414,9 @@ in
 
           ln -s ${initrdPath} $out/initrd
 
-          ln -s ${config.system.build.initialRamdiskSecretAppender}/bin/append-initrd-secrets $out
+          ${optionalString (config.boot.initrd.secrets != { }) ''
+            ln -s ${config.system.build.initialRamdiskSecretAppender}/bin/append-initrd-secrets $out
+          ''}
 
           ln -s ${config.hardware.firmware}/lib/firmware $out/firmware
         '';