diff --git a/modules/services/kanshi.nix b/modules/services/kanshi.nix
index 2eda7487..80896628 100644
--- a/modules/services/kanshi.nix
+++ b/modules/services/kanshi.nix
@@ -38,9 +38,7 @@ let
     else
       throw "Unknown tags ${attrNames x}";
 
-  directivesStr = ''
-    ${concatStringsSep "\n" (map tagToStr cfg.settings)}
-  '';
+  directivesStr = concatStringsSep "\n" (map tagToStr cfg.settings);
 
   oldDirectivesStr = ''
     ${concatStringsSep "\n"
@@ -332,11 +330,13 @@ 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 = {
diff --git a/tests/modules/services/kanshi/new-configuration.conf b/tests/modules/services/kanshi/new-configuration.conf
index 817f6632..5a11a528 100644
--- a/tests/modules/services/kanshi/new-configuration.conf
+++ b/tests/modules/services/kanshi/new-configuration.conf
@@ -16,4 +16,3 @@ profile  {
   output "LVDS-1" enable
   exec echo "7 eight 9"
 }
-