diff --git a/modules/services/x11/xserver/desktop-managers/default.nix b/modules/services/x11/xserver/desktop-managers/default.nix
index 9c4f9d92442..3de3fa25792 100644
--- a/modules/services/x11/xserver/desktop-managers/default.nix
+++ b/modules/services/x11/xserver/desktop-managers/default.nix
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ let
   inherit (pkgs.lib) mkOption mergeOneOption mkIf filter optionalString any;
   cfg = config.services.xserver.desktopManager;
 
+  # Whether desktop manager `d' is capable of setting a background.
+  # If it isn't, the `feh' program is used as a fallback.
   needBGCond = d: ! (d ? bgSupport && d.bgSupport);
 in
 
@@ -50,7 +52,6 @@ in
         };
 
 
-
         default = mkOption {
           default = "xterm";
           example = "none";
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ in
     };
   };
 
-  environment = mkIf cfg.session.needBGPackages {
+  environment = mkIf (config.services.xserver.enable && cfg.session.needBGPackages) {
     extraPackages = [ pkgs.feh ];
   };
 }
diff --git a/modules/services/x11/xserver/desktop-managers/xterm.nix b/modules/services/x11/xserver/desktop-managers/xterm.nix
index 7066c44527c..861d5001478 100644
--- a/modules/services/x11/xserver/desktop-managers/xterm.nix
+++ b/modules/services/x11/xserver/desktop-managers/xterm.nix
@@ -1,23 +1,23 @@
 {pkgs, config, ...}:
 
 let
+
   inherit (pkgs.lib) mkOption mkIf;
   cfg = config.services.xserver.desktopManager.xterm;
 
-  options = { services = { xserver = { desktopManager = {
+  options = {
 
-    xterm = {
-      enable = mkOption {
-        default = true;
-        example = false;
-        description = "Enable a xterm terminal as a desktop manager.";
-      };
+    services.xserver.desktopManager.xterm.enable = mkOption {
+      default = true;
+      example = false;
+      description = "Enable a xterm terminal as a desktop manager.";
     };
 
-  }; }; }; };
+  };
+  
 in
 
-mkIf cfg.enable {
+mkIf (config.services.xserver.enable && cfg.enable) {
   require = options;
 
   services = {