diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/discourse.nix b/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/discourse.nix
index 93298af2e3ea..b28e3cf0deb2 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/discourse.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/discourse.nix
@@ -746,6 +746,8 @@ in
 
           umask u=rwx,g=rx,o=
 
+          rm -rf /var/lib/discourse/tmp/*
+
           cp -r ${cfg.package}/share/discourse/config.dist/* /run/discourse/config/
           cp -r ${cfg.package}/share/discourse/public.dist/* /run/discourse/public/
           ln -sf /var/lib/discourse/uploads /run/discourse/public/uploads
@@ -767,7 +769,7 @@ in
           )
 
           discourse-rake db:migrate >>/var/log/discourse/db_migration.log
-          chmod -R u+w /run/discourse/tmp/
+          chmod -R u+w /var/lib/discourse/tmp/
 
           ${lib.optionalString (!cfg.admin.skipCreate) mkAdmin}
 
@@ -782,7 +784,6 @@ in
         RuntimeDirectory = map (p: "discourse/" + p) [
           "config"
           "home"
-          "tmp"
           "assets/javascripts/plugins"
           "public"
           "sockets"
@@ -791,6 +792,7 @@ in
         StateDirectory = map (p: "discourse/" + p) [
           "uploads"
           "backups"
+          "tmp"
         ];
         StateDirectoryMode = 0750;
         LogsDirectory = "discourse";
diff --git a/pkgs/servers/web-apps/discourse/default.nix b/pkgs/servers/web-apps/discourse/default.nix
index ca0f30d78942..c699c9fb1ed2 100644
--- a/pkgs/servers/web-apps/discourse/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/servers/web-apps/discourse/default.nix
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ let
       cp -r . $out/share/discourse
       rm -r $out/share/discourse/log
       ln -sf /var/log/discourse $out/share/discourse/log
-      ln -sf /run/discourse/tmp $out/share/discourse/tmp
+      ln -sf /var/lib/discourse/tmp $out/share/discourse/tmp
       ln -sf /run/discourse/config $out/share/discourse/config
       ln -sf /run/discourse/assets/javascripts/plugins $out/share/discourse/app/assets/javascripts/plugins
       ln -sf /run/discourse/public $out/share/discourse/public