diff --git a/SECURITY.md b/SECURITY.md
index 6890dfe2..b08d49b1 100644
--- a/SECURITY.md
+++ b/SECURITY.md
@@ -268,9 +268,9 @@ export, credential, DNS record or firmware configuration was changed during the
   desktops. Same-user agents are not isolated from these credentials by Unix file permissions. Mode
   `0000` also does not stop privileged root. Other host/runtime ownership checks and recipient
   membership were not completed; no private recipient repository or secret value was inspected.
-- Darwin's activation now re-applies each secret's declared ownership explicitly instead of a
-  blanket `chown` over `/etc/agenix/*`, so the root-only `rclone.conf` stays root-owned. Runtime
-  ownership (`ls -l /etc/agenix`) on each Darwin host still needs a check after the next activation.
+- Darwin's `/etc/agenix` entries are agenix `path` symlinks, so agenix applies each secret's
+  declared owner and mode and the root-only `rclone.conf` stays root-owned. Runtime ownership
+  (`ls -lL /etc/agenix`) on each Darwin host still needs a check after the next activation.
 - PostgreSQL's loopback TCP listener still trusts every role except `postgres` without a password,
   so any local process can log in as `immich` or `playground`. No service configured here uses that
   path: Immich and the exporter connect over the Unix socket with peer authentication. `postgres`
diff --git a/secrets/README.md b/secrets/README.md
index 08295053..c05c9835 100644
--- a/secrets/README.md
+++ b/secrets/README.md
@@ -66,8 +66,7 @@ Placing a secret under `/etc/agenix/` with `environment.etc` has one trap: setti
 `environment.etc` **copy** the file instead of symlinking it, and the copy is owned by root unless
 `user` is set too. Widening the mode so the user can read a root-owned copy makes it readable by
 every local account. Always set `user` together with `mode`. nix-darwin ignores both on
-`environment.etc`, so `secrets/darwin.nix` re-applies each secret's owner and mode after activation;
-a blanket chown over `/etc/agenix/*` would make the root-only secrets readable by the login user.
+`environment.etc`, so `secrets/darwin.nix` sets agenix's `path` to `/etc/agenix/<name>` instead.
 
 ## Adding or Updating Secrets
 
diff --git a/secrets/darwin.nix b/secrets/darwin.nix
index cb5e44c0..f9230460 100644
--- a/secrets/darwin.nix
+++ b/secrets/darwin.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 {
-  config,
   pkgs,
   agenix,
   mysecrets,
@@ -50,6 +49,7 @@
       # .age means the decrypted file is still encrypted by age(via a passphrase)
       "ryan4yin-gpg-subkeys.priv.age" = {
         file = "${mysecrets}/desktop/ryan4yin-gpg-subkeys-2024-01-27.priv.age.age";
+        path = "/etc/agenix/ryan4yin-gpg-subkeys.priv.age";
       }
       // noaccess;
 
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 
       "rclone.conf" = {
         file = "${mysecrets}/desktop/rclone.conf.age";
+        path = "/etc/agenix/rclone.conf";
       }
       // high_security;
 
@@ -74,56 +75,16 @@
 
       "ssh-key-romantic" = {
         file = "${mysecrets}/desktop/ssh-key-romantic.age";
+        path = "/etc/agenix/ssh-key-romantic";
       }
       // user_readable;
 
       # work git identity, symlinked to ~/work/.gitconfig by home-manager
       "work-gitconfig" = {
         file = "${mysecrets}/desktop/work-gitconfig.age";
+        path = "/etc/agenix/work-gitconfig";
       }
       // user_readable;
     };
 
-  # place secrets in /etc/
-  # NOTE: this will fail for the first time. cause it's running before "activate-agenix"
-  environment.etc = {
-    "agenix/rclone.conf" = {
-      source = config.age.secrets."rclone.conf".path;
-    };
-
-    "agenix/ssh-key-romantic" = {
-      source = config.age.secrets."ssh-key-romantic".path;
-    };
-
-    "agenix/ryan4yin-gpg-subkeys.priv.age" = {
-      source = config.age.secrets."ryan4yin-gpg-subkeys.priv.age".path;
-    };
-
-    # The following secrets are used by home-manager modules
-    # But nix-darwin doesn't support environment.etc.<name>.mode
-    # So we need to change its mode manually
-    "agenix/work-gitconfig" = {
-      source = config.age.secrets."work-gitconfig".path;
-    };
-  };
-
-  # nix-darwin ignores environment.etc.<name>.mode/owner, and a blanket chown
-  # makes the root-only secrets readable by the login user. Re-apply each
-  # secret's declared policy instead.
-  system.activationScripts.postActivation.text = ''
-    if [ -d /etc/agenix ]; then
-      ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/chown ${myvars.username} \
-        /etc/agenix/ssh-key-romantic \
-        /etc/agenix/work-gitconfig
-      ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/chmod 0500 \
-        /etc/agenix/ssh-key-romantic \
-        /etc/agenix/work-gitconfig
-
-      ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/chown root /etc/agenix/rclone.conf
-      ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/chmod 0500 /etc/agenix/rclone.conf
-
-      ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/chown root /etc/agenix/ryan4yin-gpg-subkeys.priv.age
-      ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/chmod 0000 /etc/agenix/ryan4yin-gpg-subkeys.priv.age
-    fi
-  '';
 }