diff --git a/services/fediversity/peertube/default.nix b/services/fediversity/peertube/default.nix
index ea0c28ee..49c020bb 100644
--- a/services/fediversity/peertube/default.nix
+++ b/services/fediversity/peertube/default.nix
@@ -75,6 +75,9 @@ in
       services.peertube = {
         enable = true;
         localDomain = config.fediversity.peertube.domain;
+        serviceEnvironmentFile = pkgs.writeText "password-init-root" ''
+          PT_INITIAL_ROOT_PASSWORD=changeme
+        '';
 
         # TODO: in most of nixpkgs, these are true by default. upstream that unless there's a good reason not to.
         redis.createLocally = true;