diff --git a/modules/users/s6-rc.nix b/modules/users/s6-rc.nix
index 3553914fb..89f5081d1 100644
--- a/modules/users/s6-rc.nix
+++ b/modules/users/s6-rc.nix
@@ -268,6 +268,8 @@ let
       # s6-rc-init gives each service one byte of state, initialized to zero. i mimic that here:
       echo -n '\x00' >> $out/state
       mkdir $out/servicedirs/$svc
+      # don't auto-start the service when i add the supervisor
+      touch $out/servicedirs/$svc/down
     done
   '';
 in