diff --git a/machine/backyard/default.nix b/machine/backyard/default.nix
index 45e7c24..1326d9a 100644
--- a/machine/backyard/default.nix
+++ b/machine/backyard/default.nix
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
   };
 
   beatific.hostName = "backyard";
+  beatific.defaults.tvbSync = false;
 
   # Enable networking
   networking.networkmanager.enable = true;
diff --git a/machine/catacomb/default.nix b/machine/catacomb/default.nix
index 073910a..2db1295 100644
--- a/machine/catacomb/default.nix
+++ b/machine/catacomb/default.nix
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
   ];
 
   beatific.hostName = "catacomb";
+  beatific.defaults.tvbSync = false;
 
   boot = {
     loader = {
diff --git a/machine/empyrean/default.nix b/machine/empyrean/default.nix
index 070547c..7260cfb 100644
--- a/machine/empyrean/default.nix
+++ b/machine/empyrean/default.nix
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
   beatific.hostName = "empyrean";
   beatific.isLighthouse = true;
+  beatific.defaults.tvbSync = false;
 
   # Use the GRUB 2 boot loader.
   boot.loader.grub = {
diff --git a/machine/imperium/default.nix b/machine/imperium/default.nix
index ca2bf61..f12f02a 100644
--- a/machine/imperium/default.nix
+++ b/machine/imperium/default.nix
@@ -62,17 +62,6 @@
     enable = false;
   };
 
-  # tvb monopolizes the system syncthing for now. User services are harder to get working
-  # and nobody else uses imperium right now. In the future, rewriting the syncthing module
-  # to allow multiple instances is probably the right move.
-  services.syncthing = {
-    enable = true;
-    dataDir = "/home/tvb";
-    openDefaultPorts = true;
-    user = "tvb";
-    group = "tvb";
-  };
-
   # This value governs how some stateful data, like databases, are handled
   # across different versions of NixOS. This should not be changed to a new
   # release unless the sysadmin has determined that no services would be
diff --git a/machine/stagirite/default.nix b/machine/stagirite/default.nix
index 26bff85..639596e 100644
--- a/machine/stagirite/default.nix
+++ b/machine/stagirite/default.nix
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ in
   #system.stateVersion = "21.11";
 
   networking.hostName = "stagirite";
+  beatific.defaults.tvbSync = false;
 
   fileSystems.winssh = {
     device = "C:/Users/tvb/.ssh";
diff --git a/machine/unfolder/default.nix b/machine/unfolder/default.nix
index 037f9fe..64779e7 100644
--- a/machine/unfolder/default.nix
+++ b/machine/unfolder/default.nix
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     ];
 
   beatific.hostName = "unfolder";
+  beatific.defaults.tvbSync = false;
 
   # Bootloader.
   boot.loader.grub = {
diff --git a/modules/beatific.nix b/modules/beatific.nix
index eb9c248..45e6fe7 100644
--- a/modules/beatific.nix
+++ b/modules/beatific.nix
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ in {
         ssh = mkFlag "Default sshd settings";
         nebula = mkFlag "Default beatific nebula settings";
         tvb = mkFlag "Default tvb account";
+        tvbSync = mkFlag "Configure system syncthing for tvb";
         hosts = mkFlag "Default 10.22.20.* DNS host entries";
       };
     };
@@ -163,6 +164,20 @@ in {
       };
     })
 
+    (mkIf cfg.defaults.tvbSync {
+      # I haven't gotten user services to work correctly yet,
+      # so for now, tvb monopolizes the system syncthing instance.
+      # Adding users in the future should probably involve multiple
+      # system services so as not to require login to sync.
+      services.syncthing = {
+        enable = true;
+        dataDir = "/home/tvb";
+        openDefaultPorts = true;
+        user = "tvb";
+        group = "tvb";
+      };
+    })
+
     (mkIf cfg.defaults.hosts {
       # Create *.home host entries for all the beatific members
       networking.hosts = {