diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/monitoring/zabbix-proxy.nix b/nixos/modules/services/monitoring/zabbix-proxy.nix
index 503e81b48a58..fea5704af6f6 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/monitoring/zabbix-proxy.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/monitoring/zabbix-proxy.nix
@@ -299,10 +299,7 @@ in
         fi
       '' + optionalString (cfg.database.passwordFile != null) ''
         # create a copy of the supplied password file in a format zabbix can consume
-        touch ${passwordFile}
-        chmod 0600 ${passwordFile}
-        echo -n "DBPassword = " > ${passwordFile}
-        cat ${cfg.database.passwordFile} >> ${passwordFile}
+        install -m 0600 <(echo "DBPassword = $(cat ${cfg.database.passwordFile})") ${passwordFile}
       '';
 
       serviceConfig = {
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/monitoring/zabbix-server.nix b/nixos/modules/services/monitoring/zabbix-server.nix
index 0607188d2131..f2fb5fbe7ac6 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/monitoring/zabbix-server.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/monitoring/zabbix-server.nix
@@ -292,10 +292,7 @@ in
         fi
       '' + optionalString (cfg.database.passwordFile != null) ''
         # create a copy of the supplied password file in a format zabbix can consume
-        touch ${passwordFile}
-        chmod 0600 ${passwordFile}
-        echo -n "DBPassword = " > ${passwordFile}
-        cat ${cfg.database.passwordFile} >> ${passwordFile}
+        install -m 0600 <(echo "DBPassword = $(cat ${cfg.database.passwordFile})") ${passwordFile}
       '';
 
       serviceConfig = {