diff --git a/modules/services/kanshi.nix b/modules/services/kanshi.nix
index 2eda7487629c..f90adf14f9f0 100644
--- a/modules/services/kanshi.nix
+++ b/modules/services/kanshi.nix
@@ -332,11 +332,13 @@ in {
     {
       home.packages = [ cfg.package ];
 
-      xdg.configFile."kanshi/config".text =
-        if cfg.profiles == { } && cfg.extraConfig == "" then
-          directivesStr
-        else
-          oldDirectivesStr;
+      xdg.configFile."kanshi/config" = let
+        generatedConfigStr =
+          if cfg.profiles == { } && cfg.extraConfig == "" then
+            directivesStr
+          else
+            oldDirectivesStr;
+      in mkIf (generatedConfigStr != "") { text = generatedConfigStr; };
 
       systemd.user.services.kanshi = {
         Unit = {