diff --git a/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix b/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix
index 3abd77c8eeb0..f9d588ea5483 100644
--- a/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix
+++ b/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ in
         serviceConfig =
           { Type = "forking";
             PIDFile = "/run/dhcpcd.pid";
-            ExecStart = "@${dhcpcd}/sbin/dhcpcd dhcpcd --config ${dhcpcdConf}";
+            ExecStart = "@${dhcpcd}/sbin/dhcpcd dhcpcd --config ${dhcpcdConf} --background";
             ExecReload = "${dhcpcd}/sbin/dhcpcd --rebind";
             StandardError = "null";
           };