diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index dd0a46a638..1b329d255a 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -14263,7 +14263,8 @@ blocks, as in this example:
                         (https-port #f)
                         (ssl-certificate #f)
                         (ssl-certificate-key #f)
-                        (root "/srv/http/extra-website"))))
+                        (root "/srv/http/extra-website")
+                        (try-files (list "$uri" "$uri/index.html")))))
 @end example
 @end deffn
 
@@ -14394,6 +14395,10 @@ server block.
 Index files to look for when clients ask for a directory.  If it cannot be found,
 Nginx will send the list of files in the directory.
 
+@item @code{try-files} (default: @code{'()})
+A list of files whose existence is checked in the specified order.
+@code{nginx} will use the first file it finds to process the request.
+
 @item @code{ssl-certificate} (default: @code{"/etc/nginx/cert.pem"})
 Where to find the certificate for secure connections.  Set it to @code{#f} if
 you don't have a certificate or you don't want to use HTTPS.
diff --git a/gnu/services/web.scm b/gnu/services/web.scm
index 4aa6fd501c..9d713003c3 100644
--- a/gnu/services/web.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/web.scm
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ (define-record-type* <nginx-server-configuration>
                        (default '()))
   (index               nginx-server-configuration-index
                        (default (list "index.html")))
+  (try-files           nginx-server-configuration-try-files
+                       (default '()))
   (ssl-certificate     nginx-server-configuration-ssl-certificate
                        (default "/etc/nginx/cert.pem"))
   (ssl-certificate-key nginx-server-configuration-ssl-certificate-key
@@ -179,6 +181,7 @@ (define (emit-nginx-server-config server)
          (nginx-server-configuration-ssl-certificate-key server))
         (root (nginx-server-configuration-root server))
         (index (nginx-server-configuration-index server))
+        (try-files (nginx-server-configuration-try-files server))
         (server-tokens? (nginx-server-configuration-server-tokens? server))
         (locations (nginx-server-configuration-locations server)))
     (define-syntax-parameter <> (syntax-rules ()))
@@ -207,6 +210,9 @@ (define-syntax-rule (and/l x tail ...)
      (and/l ssl-certificate-key "      ssl_certificate_key " <> ";\n")
      "      root " root ";\n"
      "      index " (config-index-strings index) ";\n"
+     (if (not (nil? try-files))
+         (and/l (config-index-strings try-files) "      try_files " <> ";\n")
+         "")
      "      server_tokens " (if server-tokens? "on" "off") ";\n"
      "\n"
      (map emit-nginx-location-config locations)