diff --git a/nix/templates/weston-vnc.nix b/nix/templates/weston-vnc.nix
index 1102ef1d..227e6248 100644
--- a/nix/templates/weston-vnc.nix
+++ b/nix/templates/weston-vnc.nix
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
           # --socket=wayland-0: pin the compositor's Wayland socket name
           # to `wayland-0` (weston default is to pick any free name such
           # as `wayland-1`). Pinning lets the WAYLAND_DISPLAY=wayland-0
-          # global env injection below (see environment.variables) take
+          # global env injection below (see systemd.globalEnvironment) take
           # effect unconditionally — any Wayland client launched by any
           # systemd service in this container automatically connects to
           # this compositor instead of failing or starting a second
@@ -114,15 +114,18 @@
       };
     };
 
-    # Expose the compositor's socket to every process in the container
-    # so Wayland clients started by any systemd service (e.g. bitburner
-    # launched via a `systemd.services.*` declaration in agent.nix) can
-    # find the compositor without per-service wiring. Without these vars
-    # a service starting a Wayland client would either fail to connect
-    # (libwayland falls back to creating a headless display) or open a
-    # second compositor entirely — both cause the VNC session to show a
-    # blank desktop while apps appear to "work" elsewhere (#540).
-    environment.variables = {
+    # Expose the compositor's socket to every systemd service in the
+    # container so Wayland clients (e.g. bitburner started via
+    # `systemd.services.*` in agent.nix) can find the compositor
+    # without per-service wiring. `systemd.globalEnvironment` is the
+    # correct path (established by #608 for HYPERHIVE_STATE_DIR) —
+    # it sets DefaultEnvironment in systemd.conf, reaching all units
+    # started by PID 1. `environment.variables` goes to /etc/environment
+    # (PAM sessions only) and is NOT visible to systemd service units.
+    # Without these vars a service starting a Wayland client would either
+    # fail to connect (libwayland falls back to a headless display) or
+    # open a second compositor — VNC shows a blank desktop (#540).
+    systemd.globalEnvironment = {
       WAYLAND_DISPLAY = "wayland-0";
       XDG_RUNTIME_DIR = "/run/user/0";
     };