diff --git a/gnu/services.scm b/gnu/services.scm
index 8d0d5a08b4..4af90de662 100644
--- a/gnu/services.scm
+++ b/gnu/services.scm
@@ -664,10 +664,8 @@ (define (cleanup-gexp _)
            (delete-file-recursively "/tmp")
            (delete-file-recursively "/var/run")
 
-           (mkdir "/tmp")
-           (chmod "/tmp" #o1777)
-           (mkdir "/var/run")
-           (chmod "/var/run" #o755)
+           (mkdir "/tmp" #o1777)
+           (mkdir "/var/run" #o755)
            (delete-file-recursively "/run/udev/watch.old"))))))
 
 (define cleanup-service-type