diff --git a/home/programs/common.nix b/home/programs/common.nix
index f4072103..87e5e3e2 100644
--- a/home/programs/common.nix
+++ b/home/programs/common.nix
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@
     # modern vim
     neovim = {
       enable = true;
+      defaultEditor = true;  # set nvim as default editor
       extraConfig = ''
         set number relativenumber
       '';
diff --git a/home/shell/default.nix b/home/shell/default.nix
index 70485387..0a2a1521 100644
--- a/home/shell/default.nix
+++ b/home/shell/default.nix
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ in rec {
     XAUTHORITY = "$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/Xauthority";
 
     # set default applications
-    EDITOR = "vim";  # this variable not work, need to set environment.variables.EDITOR instead.
     BROWSER = "firefox";
     TERMINAL = "alacritty";
 
diff --git a/modules/system.nix b/modules/system.nix
index 11afbb45..93e3bc1a 100644
--- a/modules/system.nix
+++ b/modules/system.nix
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@
     minicom
   ];
 
+  # replace default editor with vim
   environment.variables.EDITOR = "vim";
 
   # Enable sound with pipewire.