diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/nextcloud.nix b/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/nextcloud.nix
index d50939e701ed..c5c14050b5c2 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/nextcloud.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/web-apps/nextcloud.nix
@@ -483,6 +483,28 @@ in {
           path = [ occ ];
           script = ''
             chmod og+x ${cfg.home}
+
+            ${optionalString (c.dbpassFile != null) ''
+              if [ ! -r "${c.dbpassFile}" ]; then
+                echo "dbpassFile ${c.dbpassFile} is not readable by nextcloud:nextcloud! Aborting..."
+                exit 1
+              fi
+              if [ -z "$(<${c.dbpassFile})" ]; then
+                echo "dbpassFile ${c.dbpassFile} is empty!"
+                exit 1
+              fi
+            ''}
+            ${optionalString (c.adminpassFile != null) ''
+              if [ ! -r "${c.adminpassFile}" ]; then
+                echo "adminpassFile ${c.adminpassFile} is not readable by nextcloud:nextcloud! Aborting..."
+                exit 1
+              fi
+              if [ -z "$(<${c.adminpassFile})" ]; then
+                echo "adminpassFile ${c.adminpassFile} is empty!"
+                exit 1
+              fi
+            ''}
+
             ln -sf ${cfg.package}/apps ${cfg.home}/
 
             # create nextcloud directories.