diff --git a/guix/config.scm.in b/guix/config.scm.in
index 4717b1c967c3fb65252f6851eb603850106f7a2b..c5ebd39faed6ec20540408b25e297ce3781dbb93 100644
--- a/guix/config.scm.in
+++ b/guix/config.scm.in
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ (define %store-directory
   "@storedir@")
 
 (define %state-directory
-  "@guix_localstatedir@")
+  ;; This must match `NIX_STATE_DIR' as defined in `daemon.am'.
+  "@guix_localstatedir@/nix")
 
 (define %system
   "@guix_system@")