diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/gdm/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/gdm/default.nix
index 09e27e7c0c5f..ee7d9975b760 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/gdm/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/core/gdm/default.nix
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
   configureFlags = [ "--sysconfdir=/etc"
                      "--localstatedir=/var"
                      "--with-plymouth=yes"
+                     "--with-initial-vt=7"
                      "--with-systemdsystemunitdir=$(out)/etc/systemd/system" ];
 
   nativeBuildInputs = [ autoreconfHook pkgconfig ];