diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index 6105195bd9..f82bb99069 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -18057,10 +18057,6 @@ administrator's choice; reconfiguring does @emph{not} change their name.
 @item @code{home-directory}
 This is the name of the home directory for the account.
 
-@item @code{home-directory-permissions} (default: @code{#o700})
-The permission bits for the home directory.  By default, full access is
-granted to the user account and all other access is denied.
-
 @item @code{create-home-directory?} (default: @code{#t})
 Indicates whether the home directory of this account should be created
 if it does not exist yet.
diff --git a/gnu/build/activation.scm b/gnu/build/activation.scm
index fd043ca131..eea2233563 100644
--- a/gnu/build/activation.scm
+++ b/gnu/build/activation.scm
@@ -162,14 +162,14 @@ owner-writable in HOME."
 group records) are all available."
   (define (make-home-directory user)
     (let ((home (user-account-home-directory user))
-          (home-permissions (user-account-home-directory-permissions user))
           (pwd  (getpwnam (user-account-name user))))
       (mkdir-p home)
 
       ;; Always set ownership and permissions for home directories of system
-      ;; accounts.
+      ;; accounts.  If a service needs looser permissions on its home
+      ;; directories, it can always chmod it in an activation snippet.
       (chown home (passwd:uid pwd) (passwd:gid pwd))
-      (chmod home home-permissions)))
+      (chmod home #o700)))
 
   (define system-accounts
     (filter (lambda (user)
diff --git a/gnu/system/accounts.scm b/gnu/system/accounts.scm
index 15b2afe266..e37b733c6d 100644
--- a/gnu/system/accounts.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/accounts.scm
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
             user-account-supplementary-groups
             user-account-comment
             user-account-home-directory
-            user-account-home-directory-permissions
             user-account-create-home-directory?
             user-account-shell
             user-account-system?
@@ -71,8 +70,6 @@
   (comment        user-account-comment (default ""))
   (home-directory user-account-home-directory (thunked)
                   (default (default-home-directory this-record)))
-  (home-directory-permissions user-account-home-directory-permissions
-                              (default #o700))
   (create-home-directory? user-account-create-home-directory? ;Boolean
                           (default #t))
   (shell          user-account-shell              ; gexp