diff --git a/hosts/servo/default.nix b/hosts/servo/default.nix
index e4eb320e..7fea505e 100644
--- a/hosts/servo/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/servo/default.nix
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
   sane.impermanence.enable = true;
   sane.services.duplicity.enable = true;
   sane.services.nixserve.enable = true;
+  sane.services.nixserv.sopsFile = ../../secrets/servo.yaml;
 
   # TODO: look into the EFI stuff
   boot.loader.grub.enable = false;
diff --git a/modules/services/nixserve.nix b/modules/services/nixserve.nix
index 7889399b..2cc2317b 100644
--- a/modules/services/nixserve.nix
+++ b/modules/services/nixserve.nix
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ in
       type = types.bool;
     };
     sane.services.nixserve.sopsFile = mkOption {
-      default = ../../secrets/servo.yaml;
       type = types.path;
+      description = "path to file that contains the nix_serv_privkey secret (can be in VCS)";
     };
   };