diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/security/opensnitch.nix b/nixos/modules/services/security/opensnitch.nix
index bffe17a948d1..0631d0a1863b 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/security/opensnitch.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/security/opensnitch.nix
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ let
       file = pkgs.writeText "rule" (builtins.toJSON cfg);
     }
   );
+  stateDir = lib.strings.match "/var/lib/([^/]+)/.+" cfg.settings.Rules.Path;
 in
 {
   options = {
@@ -105,10 +106,9 @@ in
                 "iptables"
                 "nftables"
               ];
-              default = if config.networking.nftables.enable then "nftables" else "iptables";
-              defaultText = lib.literalExpression ''if config.networking.nftables.enable then "nftables" else "iptables"'';
+              default = "nftables";
               description = ''
-                Which firewall backend to use.
+                Which firewall backend to use. `nftables` ruleset can be used for `iptables` firewall too, if `iptables` is built with nftables compatibility.
               '';
             };
             Ebpf.ModulesPath = lib.mkOption {
@@ -139,7 +139,10 @@ in
             };
 
             Rules.Path = lib.mkOption {
-              type = lib.types.path;
+              type = lib.types.pathWith {
+                inStore = false;
+                absolute = true;
+              };
               default = "/var/lib/opensnitch/rules";
               description = ''
                 Path to the directory where firewall rules can be found and will
@@ -158,6 +161,12 @@ in
   };
 
   config = lib.mkIf cfg.enable {
+    assertions = [
+      {
+        assertion = stateDir != null;
+        message = "`config.services.opensnitch.settings.Rules.Path` must be a sub-directory of /var/lib/, currently is ${cfg.settings.Rules.Path}";
+      }
+    ];
 
     security.auditd = lib.mkIf (cfg.settings.ProcMonitorMethod == "audit") {
       enable = true;
@@ -174,8 +183,14 @@ in
             ""
             "${lib.getExe' cfg.package "opensnitchd"} --config-file ${cfg.configFile}"
           ];
+          StateDirectory = builtins.head stateDir; # match produces a list. Null case covered by assertion.
         };
-        preStart = lib.mkIf (cfg.rules != { }) (
+        preStart = ''
+          # assert rules directory exists before service starts
+          # will be in StateDirectory due to assertion
+          mkdir -p ${cfg.settings.Rules.Path}
+        ''
+        + lib.optionalString (cfg.rules != { }) (
           let
             rules = lib.flip lib.mapAttrsToList predefinedRules (
               file: content: {
@@ -205,13 +220,12 @@ in
           ''
         );
       };
-      tmpfiles.rules = [
-        "d ${cfg.settings.Rules.Path} 0750 root root - -"
-        "L+ /etc/opensnitchd/network_aliases.json - - - - ${cfg.package}/etc/opensnitchd/network_aliases.json"
-        "L+ /etc/opensnitchd/system-fw.json - - - - ${cfg.package}/etc/opensnitchd/system-fw.json"
-      ];
     };
 
+    environment.etc."opensnitchd/network_aliases.json".source =
+      "${cfg.package}/etc/opensnitchd/network_aliases.json";
+    environment.etc."opensnitchd/system-fw.json".source =
+      "${cfg.package}/etc/opensnitchd/system-fw.json";
   };
 
   meta.maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [
diff --git a/nixos/tests/opensnitch.nix b/nixos/tests/opensnitch.nix
index 51560331e321..f1a152cbf607 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/opensnitch.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/opensnitch.nix
@@ -1,17 +1,23 @@
 { pkgs, lib, ... }:
 let
+  # opensnitch ebpf seems to handle non-x86 syscalls incorrectly
+  test_ebpf = pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.isx86;
+
   monitorMethods = [
-    "ebpf"
     "proc"
     "ftrace"
     "audit"
-  ];
+  ]
+  ++ lib.optional test_ebpf "ebpf";
 in
 {
   name = "opensnitch";
 
   meta = with pkgs.lib.maintainers; {
-    maintainers = [ onny ];
+    maintainers = [
+      onny
+      grimmauld
+    ];
   };
 
   nodes = {
@@ -94,7 +100,7 @@ in
         client_allowed_${m}.succeed("curl --connect-timeout 3 http://server")
       '') monitorMethods
     )
-    + ''
+    + lib.optionalString test_ebpf ''
       # make sure the kernel modules were actually properly loaded
       client_blocked_ebpf.succeed(r"journalctl -u opensnitchd --grep '\[eBPF\] module loaded: /nix/store/.*/etc/opensnitchd/opensnitch\.o'")
       client_blocked_ebpf.succeed(r"journalctl -u opensnitchd --grep '\[eBPF\] module loaded: /nix/store/.*/etc/opensnitchd/opensnitch-procs\.o'")