diff --git a/nixos/modules/programs/direnv.nix b/nixos/modules/programs/direnv.nix
index 53717fae11a0..1a80cb202806 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/programs/direnv.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/programs/direnv.nix
@@ -32,15 +32,6 @@ in {
       the hiding of direnv logging
     '');
 
-    persistDerivations =
-      (lib.mkEnableOption (lib.mdDoc ''
-        setting keep-derivations and keep-outputs to true
-        to prevent shells from getting garbage collected
-      ''))
-      // {
-        default = true;
-      };
-
     loadInNixShell =
       lib.mkEnableOption (lib.mdDoc ''
         loading direnv in `nix-shell` `nix shell` or `nix develop`
@@ -62,6 +53,10 @@ in {
     };
   };
 
+  imports = [
+    (lib.mkRemovedOptionModule ["programs" "direnv" "persistDerivations"] "persistDerivations was removed as it is on longer necessary")
+  ];
+
   config = lib.mkIf cfg.enable {
 
     programs = {
@@ -87,11 +82,6 @@ in {
       '';
     };
 
-    nix.settings = lib.mkIf cfg.persistDerivations {
-      keep-outputs = true;
-      keep-derivations = true;
-    };
-
     environment = {
       systemPackages =
         if cfg.loadInNixShell then [cfg.package]