diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/hardware/fancontrol.nix b/nixos/modules/services/hardware/fancontrol.nix
index e1ce11a5aef6..3722db5bc512 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/hardware/fancontrol.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/hardware/fancontrol.nix
@@ -6,21 +6,21 @@ let
   cfg = config.hardware.fancontrol;
   configFile = pkgs.writeText "fancontrol.conf" cfg.config;
 
-in{
+in
+{
   options.hardware.fancontrol = {
     enable = mkEnableOption "software fan control (requires fancontrol.config)";
 
     config = mkOption {
-      default = null;
-      type = types.nullOr types.lines;
-      description = "Fancontrol configuration file content. See <citerefentry><refentrytitle>pwmconfig</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum></citerefentry> from the lm_sensors package.";
+      type = types.lines;
+      description = "Required fancontrol configuration file content. See <citerefentry><refentrytitle>pwmconfig</refentrytitle><manvolnum>8</manvolnum></citerefentry> from the lm_sensors package.";
       example = ''
         # Configuration file generated by pwmconfig
         INTERVAL=10
         DEVPATH=hwmon3=devices/virtual/thermal/thermal_zone2 hwmon4=devices/platform/f71882fg.656
         DEVNAME=hwmon3=soc_dts1 hwmon4=f71869a
         FCTEMPS=hwmon4/device/pwm1=hwmon3/temp1_input
-        FCFANS= hwmon4/device/pwm1=hwmon4/device/fan1_input
+        FCFANS=hwmon4/device/pwm1=hwmon4/device/fan1_input
         MINTEMP=hwmon4/device/pwm1=35
         MAXTEMP=hwmon4/device/pwm1=65
         MINSTART=hwmon4/device/pwm1=150
@@ -30,16 +30,30 @@ in{
   };
 
   config = mkIf cfg.enable {
+
+    users = {
+      groups.lm_sensors = {};
+
+      users.fancontrol = {
+        isSystemUser = true;
+        group = "lm_sensors";
+        description = "fan speed controller";
+      };
+    };
+
     systemd.services.fancontrol = {
-      unitConfig.Documentation = "man:fancontrol(8)";
+      documentation = [ "man:fancontrol(8)" ];
       description = "software fan control";
       wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
       after = [ "lm_sensors.service" ];
 
       serviceConfig = {
-        Type = "simple";
         ExecStart = "${pkgs.lm_sensors}/sbin/fancontrol ${configFile}";
+        Group = "lm_sensors";
+        User = "fancontrol";
       };
     };
   };
+
+  meta.maintainers = [ maintainers.evils ];
 }