diff --git a/settings/hyprland.nix b/settings/hyprland.nix
index 56ec659..13f7510 100644
--- a/settings/hyprland.nix
+++ b/settings/hyprland.nix
@@ -83,6 +83,10 @@ in
         # one in User=, so it pointed qs at /run/user/0.
         ExecStart = pkgs.writeShellScript "lock-before-sleep" ''
           export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/run/user/$(${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/id -u)
+          # HOME too: system units don't set it for User=, and qs resolves
+          # the config (and thus the instance to talk to) via ~/.config —
+          # without it: "Could not find "default" config directory".
+          export HOME=/home/fred
           ${pkgs.quickshell}/bin/qs ipc call lock lock
           ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/sleep 1
         '';