diff --git a/nix-darwin/default.nix b/nix-darwin/default.nix
index cd3ceae71..259298290 100644
--- a/nix-darwin/default.nix
+++ b/nix-darwin/default.nix
@@ -24,7 +24,12 @@ in
           in
           ''
             echo Activating home-manager configuration for ${usercfg.home.username} >&2
-            launchctl asuser "$(id -u ${usercfg.home.username})" sudo -u ${usercfg.home.username} --set-home ${pkgs.writeShellScript "activation-${usercfg.home.username}" ''
+            hmDryRunArgs=()
+            hmParentArgs="$(ps -p "$PPID" -ww -o args= || true)"
+            if [[ -v DRY_RUN || "$hmParentArgs" == *" --dry-run"* ]]; then
+              hmDryRunArgs=(env DRY_RUN=1)
+            fi
+            launchctl asuser "$(id -u ${usercfg.home.username})" sudo -u ${usercfg.home.username} --set-home "''${hmDryRunArgs[@]}" ${pkgs.writeShellScript "activation-${usercfg.home.username}" ''
               ${lib.optionalString (
                 cfg.backupFileExtension != null
               ) "export HOME_MANAGER_BACKUP_EXT=${lib.escapeShellArg cfg.backupFileExtension}"}