diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/accessibility/speechd.nix b/nixos/modules/services/accessibility/speechd.nix
index 811535e8baf1d..165be86346ccb 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/accessibility/speechd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/accessibility/speechd.nix
@@ -16,9 +16,8 @@ in
 {
   options.services.speechd = {
     # FIXME: figure out how to deprecate this EXTREMELY CAREFULLY
-    enable = mkEnableOption "speech-dispatcher speech synthesizer daemon" // {
-      default = true;
-    };
+    # default guessed conservatively in ../misc/graphical-desktop.nix
+    enable = mkEnableOption "speech-dispatcher speech synthesizer daemon";
     package = mkPackageOption pkgs "speechd" { };
   };
 
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/misc/graphical-desktop.nix b/nixos/modules/services/misc/graphical-desktop.nix
index c8fe0d921c6ad..246310195edc2 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/misc/graphical-desktop.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/misc/graphical-desktop.nix
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ in
 
     programs.gnupg.agent.pinentryPackage = lib.mkOverride 1100 pkgs.pinentry-gnome3;
 
+    services.speechd.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
+
     systemd.defaultUnit = lib.mkIf (xcfg.autorun || dmcfg.enable) "graphical.target";
 
     xdg = {