diff --git a/modules/services/misc/nix-daemon.nix b/modules/services/misc/nix-daemon.nix
index 718566ee5b9..eeb26ee5e15 100644
--- a/modules/services/misc/nix-daemon.nix
+++ b/modules/services/misc/nix-daemon.nix
@@ -246,17 +246,11 @@ in
           target = "nix.machines";
         };
 
-    boot.systemd.units."nix-daemon.socket" =
-      { wantedBy = [ "sockets.target" ];
-        text =
-          ''
-            [Unit]
-            Description=Nix Daemon Socket
-            Before=multi-user.target
-
-            [Socket]
-            ListenStream=/nix/var/nix/daemon-socket/socket
-          '';
+    boot.systemd.sockets."nix-daemon" =
+      { description = "Nix Daemon Socket";
+        wantedBy = [ "sockets.target" ];
+        before = [ "multi-user.target" ];
+        socketConfig.ListenStream = "/nix/var/nix/daemon-socket/socket";
       };
 
     boot.systemd.services."nix-daemon" =
diff --git a/modules/system/boot/systemd-unit-options.nix b/modules/system/boot/systemd-unit-options.nix
index 95506712cac..276197d24d8 100644
--- a/modules/system/boot/systemd-unit-options.nix
+++ b/modules/system/boot/systemd-unit-options.nix
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 
 with pkgs.lib;
 
-{
+rec {
 
-  serviceOptions = {
+  unitOptions = {
 
     description = mkOption {
       default = "";
@@ -62,6 +62,22 @@ with pkgs.lib;
       description = "Units that want (i.e. depend on) this unit.";
     };
 
+    unitConfig = mkOption {
+      default = {};
+      example = { RequiresMountsFor = "/data"; };
+      type = types.attrs;
+      description = ''
+        Each attribute in this set specifies an option in the
+        <literal>[Unit]</literal> section of the unit.  See
+        <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.unit</refentrytitle>
+        <manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry> for details.
+      '';
+    };
+
+  };
+
+  serviceOptions = unitOptions // {
+
     environment = mkOption {
       default = {};
       type = types.attrs;
@@ -80,18 +96,6 @@ with pkgs.lib;
       '';
     };
 
-    unitConfig = mkOption {
-      default = {};
-      example = { RequiresMountsFor = "/data"; };
-      type = types.attrs;
-      description = ''
-        Each attribute in this set specifies an option in the
-        <literal>[Unit]</literal> section of the unit.  See
-        <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.unit</refentrytitle>
-        <manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry> for details.
-      '';
-    };
-
     serviceConfig = mkOption {
       default = {};
       example =
diff --git a/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix b/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix
index bb2ea087c21..23751e2104a 100644
--- a/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix
+++ b/modules/system/boot/systemd.nix
@@ -202,9 +202,17 @@ let
         (if isList value then value else [value]))
         as));
 
+  targetToUnit = name: def:
+    { inherit (def) wantedBy;
+      text =
+        ''
+          [Unit]
+          ${attrsToSection def.unitConfig}
+        '';
+    };
+
   serviceToUnit = name: def:
     { inherit (def) wantedBy;
-
       text =
         ''
           [Unit]
@@ -240,6 +248,18 @@ let
         '';
     };
 
+  socketToUnit = name: def:
+    { inherit (def) wantedBy;
+      text =
+        ''
+          [Unit]
+          ${attrsToSection def.unitConfig}
+
+          [Socket]
+          ${attrsToSection def.socketConfig}
+        '';
+    };
+
   nixosUnits = mapAttrsToList makeUnit cfg.units;
 
   units = pkgs.runCommand "units" { preferLocalBuild = true; }
@@ -319,11 +339,37 @@ in
       description = "Packages providing systemd units.";
     };
 
+    boot.systemd.targets = mkOption {
+      default = {};
+      type = types.attrsOf types.optionSet;
+      options = unitOptions;
+      description = "Definition of systemd target units.";
+    };
+
     boot.systemd.services = mkOption {
       default = {};
       type = types.attrsOf types.optionSet;
       options = [ serviceOptions serviceConfig ];
-      description = "Definition of systemd services.";
+      description = "Definition of systemd service units.";
+    };
+
+    boot.systemd.sockets = mkOption {
+      default = {};
+      type = types.attrsOf types.optionSet;
+      options = unitOptions // {
+        socketConfig = mkOption {
+          default = {};
+          example = { ListenStream = "/run/my-socket"; };
+          type = types.attrs;
+          description = ''
+            Each attribute in this set specifies an option in the
+            <literal>[Socket]</literal> section of the unit.  See
+            <citerefentry><refentrytitle>systemd.socket</refentrytitle>
+            <manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry> for details.
+          '';
+        };
+      };
+      description = "Definition of systemd socket units.";
     };
 
     boot.systemd.defaultUnit = mkOption {
@@ -385,7 +431,9 @@ in
     boot.systemd.units =
       { "rescue.service".text = rescueService; }
       // { "fs.target" = { text = fsTarget; wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ]; }; }
-      // mapAttrs' (n: v: nameValuePair "${n}.service" (serviceToUnit n v)) cfg.services;
+      // mapAttrs' (n: v: nameValuePair "${n}.target" (targetToUnit n v)) cfg.targets
+      // mapAttrs' (n: v: nameValuePair "${n}.service" (serviceToUnit n v)) cfg.services
+      // mapAttrs' (n: v: nameValuePair "${n}.socket" (socketToUnit n v)) cfg.sockets;
 
   };