diff --git a/panel/nix/configuration.nix b/panel/nix/configuration.nix
index 7fbb8132..80a003a9 100644
--- a/panel/nix/configuration.nix
+++ b/panel/nix/configuration.nix
@@ -56,8 +56,12 @@ let
           --property "User=${name}" \
           --property "Group=${name}" \
           --property "WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/${name}" \
-          --property "Environment=DATABASE_URL=${database-url} USER_SETTINGS_FILE=${configFile}" \
-      ''
+          --property "Environment=DATABASE_URL=${database-url} USER_SETTINGS_FILE=${configFile} ''
+      +
+        # env vars mandatory in `settings.py` tho not used in `manage`
+        ''
+          NIX_BIN=${lib.getExe pkgs.nix} REPO_DIR=${../..}" \
+        ''
       + optionalString (credentials != [ ]) (
         (concatStringsSep " \\\n" (map (cred: "--property 'LoadCredential=${cred}'") credentials)) + " \\\n"
       )