diff --git a/gnu/services/audio.scm b/gnu/services/audio.scm
index 471c5fd95f..345d8225b2 100644
--- a/gnu/services/audio.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/audio.scm
@@ -140,6 +140,13 @@ (define (mpd-shepherd-service config)
                    "--no-daemon"
                    #$(mpd-config->file config))
              #:pid-file #$(mpd-file-name config "pid")
+             #:environment-variables
+             ;; Required to detect PulseAudio when run under a user account.
+             '(#$(string-append
+                   "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/"
+                   (number->string
+                     (passwd:uid
+                       (getpwnam (mpd-configuration-user config))))))
              #:log-file #$(mpd-file-name config "log")))
    (stop  #~(make-kill-destructor))))