diff --git a/modules/programs/bat.nix b/modules/programs/bat.nix
index 5d09145af..0b8260d16 100644
--- a/modules/programs/bat.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/bat.nix
@@ -162,14 +162,15 @@ in {
       # NOTE: run `bat cache --build` in an empty directory to work
       # around failure when ~/cache exists
       # https://github.com/sharkdp/bat/issues/1726
-      home.activation.batCache = hm.dag.entryAfter [ "linkGeneration" ] ''
-        (
-          export XDG_CACHE_HOME=${escapeShellArg config.xdg.cacheHome}
-          verboseEcho "Rebuilding bat theme cache"
-          cd "${pkgs.emptyDirectory}"
-          run ${lib.getExe cfg.package} cache --build
-        )
-      '';
+      home.activation.batCache = mkIf (cfg.syntaxes != { } || cfg.themes != { })
+        (hm.dag.entryAfter [ "linkGeneration" ] ''
+          (
+            export XDG_CACHE_HOME=${escapeShellArg config.xdg.cacheHome}
+            verboseEcho "Rebuilding bat theme cache"
+            cd "${pkgs.emptyDirectory}"
+            run ${lib.getExe cfg.package} cache --build
+          )
+        '');
     }
   ]);
 }