diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix b/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
index e4b29a0b9090..b563a781f1d4 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/networking/ssh/sshd.nix
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ let
   authKeysFiles = let
     mkAuthKeyFile = u: {
       target = "ssh/authorized_keys.d/${u.name}";
-      mode = "0444";
       source = pkgs.writeText "${u.name}-authorized_keys" ''
         ${concatStringsSep "\n" u.openssh.authorizedKeys.keys}
         ${concatMapStrings (f: readFile f + "\n") u.openssh.authorizedKeys.keyFiles}