diff --git a/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix b/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix
index 07ba5f3..4b97889 100644
--- a/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix
+++ b/packages/bookwyrm/nixos-module.nix
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ with pkgs . kernelmaft ;
 					[Service]
 
 					# 'initdb' fails harmlessly if it has been run on the database before
-					ExecStartPre=${coreutils-full}/bin/ln -sf /etc/bookwyrm/config.env /var/lib/bookwyrm/.env
 					ExecStartPre=${coreutils-full}/bin/ln -sf ${bookwyrm}/var/lib/bookwyrm/VERSION /var/lib/bookwyrm/
 					ExecStartPre=${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm-env ${python311}/bin/python ${bookwyrm}/lib/python3.11/manage.py migrate
 					ExecStartPre=-${bookwyrm}/bin/bookwyrm-env ${python311}/bin/python ${bookwyrm}/lib/python3.11/manage.py initdb