diff --git a/scripts/nix-profile-daemon.sh.in b/scripts/nix-profile-daemon.sh.in
index 3e138ac42..2133a6d3b 100644
--- a/scripts/nix-profile-daemon.sh.in
+++ b/scripts/nix-profile-daemon.sh.in
@@ -15,11 +15,6 @@ if test -w $HOME; then
       fi
   fi
 
-  # Subscribe the root user to the NixOS channel by default.
-  if [ "$USER" = root -a ! -e $HOME/.nix-channels ]; then
-      echo "https://nixos.org/channels/nixpkgs-unstable nixpkgs" > $HOME/.nix-channels
-  fi
-
   # Set up a default Nix expression from which to install stuff.
   if [ ! -e $HOME/.nix-defexpr -o -L $HOME/.nix-defexpr ]; then
       rm -f $HOME/.nix-defexpr
diff --git a/scripts/nix-profile.sh.in b/scripts/nix-profile.sh.in
index 7f9b5877a..8e70c68b2 100644
--- a/scripts/nix-profile.sh.in
+++ b/scripts/nix-profile.sh.in
@@ -22,11 +22,6 @@ if [ -n "$HOME" ] && [ -n "$USER" ]; then
             fi
         fi
 
-        # Subscribe the user to the unstable Nixpkgs channel by default.
-        if [ ! -e "$HOME/.nix-channels" ]; then
-            echo "https://nixos.org/channels/nixpkgs-unstable nixpkgs" > "$HOME/.nix-channels"
-        fi
-
         # Set up a default Nix expression from which to install stuff.
         __nix_defexpr="$HOME"/.nix-defexpr
         [ -L "$__nix_defexpr" ] && rm -f "$__nix_defexpr"
diff --git a/tests/nix-profile.sh b/tests/nix-profile.sh
index 5b17fe3fa..b808cf1b4 100644
--- a/tests/nix-profile.sh
+++ b/tests/nix-profile.sh
@@ -9,4 +9,3 @@ USER=$user $SHELL -e -c ". $TEST_ROOT/nix-profile.sh; set"
 USER=$user $SHELL -e -c ". $TEST_ROOT/nix-profile.sh" # test idempotency
 
 [ -L $TEST_HOME/.nix-profile ]
-[ -e $TEST_HOME/.nix-channels ]