diff --git a/modules/system/base.nix b/modules/system/base.nix
index 43c9d7ff..f20e2b64 100644
--- a/modules/system/base.nix
+++ b/modules/system/base.nix
@@ -2,46 +2,49 @@
 
 {
   system.activationScripts.createRun.text = ''
-    if [[ ! -L /run ]]; then
-      # This file doesn't exist by default on macOS and is only supported after 10.15
-      # however every system with Nix installed should have this file otherwise `/nix`
-      # wouldn't exist.
-      if [[ -e /etc/synthetic.conf ]]; then
-        if ! grep -q '^run\b' /etc/synthetic.conf 2>/dev/null; then
-          echo "setting up /run via /etc/synthetic.conf..."
-          printf 'run\tprivate/var/run\n' | sudo tee -a /etc/synthetic.conf >/dev/null
-        fi
+    IFS="." read -r -a macOSVersion <<< "$(sw_vers -productVersion)"
 
-        # for Catalina (10.15)
-        sudo /System/Library/Filesystems/apfs.fs/Contents/Resources/apfs.util -B &>/dev/null || true
-        # for Big Sur (11.0)
-        sudo /System/Library/Filesystems/apfs.fs/Contents/Resources/apfs.util -t &>/dev/null || true
+    if [[ ''${macOSVersion[0]} -gt 10 || ( ''${macOSVersion[0]} -eq 10 && ''${macOSVersion[1]} -ge 15 ) ]]; then
+      if ! grep -q '^run\b' /etc/synthetic.conf 2>/dev/null; then
+        echo "setting up /run via /etc/synthetic.conf..."
+        printf 'run\tprivate/var/run\n' | sudo tee -a /etc/synthetic.conf >/dev/null
+      fi
 
-        if [[ ! -L /run ]]; then
-          printf >&2 'error: apfs.util failed to symlink /run, aborting activation\n'
-          printf >&2 'To create a symlink from /run to /var/run, please run:\n'
-          printf >&2 '\n'
-          printf >&2 "$ printf 'run\tprivate/var/run\n' | sudo tee -a /etc/synthetic.conf"
-          printf >&2 '$ sudo /System/Library/Filesystems/apfs.fs/Contents/Resources/apfs.util -B # For Catalina\n'
-          printf >&2 '$ sudo /System/Library/Filesystems/apfs.fs/Contents/Resources/apfs.util -t # For Big Sur and later\n' >&2
-          printf >&2 '\n'
-          printf >&2 'The current contents of /etc/synthetic.conf is:\n'
-          printf >&2 '\n'
-          sudo sed 's/^/    /' /etc/synthetic.conf >&2
-          printf >&2 '\n'
-          exit 1
-        fi
+      if [[ ''${macOSVersion[0]} -gt 10 ]]; then
+        sudo /System/Library/Filesystems/apfs.fs/Contents/Resources/apfs.util -t || true
       else
-        echo "setting up /run..."
-        sudo ln -sfn private/var/run /run
+        sudo /System/Library/Filesystems/apfs.fs/Contents/Resources/apfs.util -B || true
+      fi
 
-        if [[ ! -L /run ]]; then
-          printf >&2 'error: failed to symlink /run, aborting activation\n'
-          printf >&2 'To create a symlink from /run to /var/run, please run:\n'
-          printf >&2 '\n'
-          printf >&2 '$ sudo ln -sfn private/var/link /run\n'
-          exit 1
+      if [[ ! -L /run ]]; then
+        printf >&2 'error: apfs.util failed to symlink /run, aborting activation\n'
+        printf >&2 'To create a symlink from /run to /var/run, please run:\n'
+        printf >&2 '\n'
+        printf >&2 "$ printf 'run\tprivate/var/run\n' | sudo tee -a /etc/synthetic.conf"
+
+        if [[ ''${macOSVersion[0]} -gt 10 ]]; then
+          printf >&2 '$ sudo /System/Library/Filesystems/apfs.fs/Contents/Resources/apfs.util -t\n'
+        else
+          printf >&2 '$ sudo /System/Library/Filesystems/apfs.fs/Contents/Resources/apfs.util -B\n'
         fi
+
+        printf >&2 '\n'
+        printf >&2 'The current contents of /etc/synthetic.conf is:\n'
+        printf >&2 '\n'
+        sudo sed 's/^/    /' /etc/synthetic.conf >&2
+        printf >&2 '\n'
+        exit 1
+      fi
+    else
+      echo "setting up /run..."
+      sudo ln -sfn private/var/run /run
+
+      if [[ ! -L /run ]]; then
+        printf >&2 'error: failed to symlink /run, aborting activation\n'
+        printf >&2 'To create a symlink from /run to /var/run, please run:\n'
+        printf >&2 '\n'
+        printf >&2 '$ sudo ln -sfn private/var/link /run\n'
+        exit 1
       fi
     fi
   '';