diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index f03a88482e..c60e0b87b2 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -18049,6 +18049,10 @@ 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 eea2233563..fd043ca131 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.  If a service needs looser permissions on its home
-      ;; directories, it can always chmod it in an activation snippet.
+      ;; accounts.
       (chown home (passwd:uid pwd) (passwd:gid pwd))
-      (chmod home #o700)))
+      (chmod home home-permissions)))
 
   (define system-accounts
     (filter (lambda (user)
diff --git a/gnu/system/accounts.scm b/gnu/system/accounts.scm
index e37b733c6d..15b2afe266 100644
--- a/gnu/system/accounts.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/accounts.scm
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
             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?
@@ -70,6 +71,8 @@
   (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