diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/backup/restic.nix b/nixos/modules/services/backup/restic.nix
index 1e353aeacb185..f71c939e93942 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/backup/restic.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/backup/restic.nix
@@ -161,6 +161,17 @@ in
               ];
             };
 
+            unitConfig = lib.mkOption {
+              type = lib.types.nullOr (lib.types.attrsOf unitOption);
+              default = null;
+              description = ''
+                Configuration for the systemd unit.
+              '';
+              example = {
+                OnFailure = "notify-restic-failure.service";
+              };
+            };
+
             timerConfig = lib.mkOption {
               type = lib.types.nullOr (lib.types.attrsOf unitOption);
               default = {
@@ -402,6 +413,7 @@ in
               EnvironmentFile = backup.environmentFile;
             };
         }
+        // lib.optionalAttrs (backup.unitConfig != null) backup.unitConfig
         // lib.optionalAttrs (backup.initialize || doBackup || backup.backupPrepareCommand != null) {
           preStart = ''
             ${lib.optionalString (backup.backupPrepareCommand != null) ''
diff --git a/nixos/tests/restic.nix b/nixos/tests/restic.nix
index 1a66ca7f0d929..3ac4cda4228ee 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/restic.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/restic.nix
@@ -137,6 +137,13 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix (
               pruneOpts = [ "--keep-last 1" ];
               checkOpts = [ "--some-check-option" ];
             };
+            customUnitConfig = {
+              inherit passwordFile paths;
+              repository = remoteRepository;
+              unitConfig = {
+                documentation = [ "custom-unit-config-was-written" ];
+              };
+            };
           };
 
           environment.sessionVariables.RCLONE_CONFIG_LOCAL_TYPE = "local";
@@ -228,6 +235,8 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix (
           "systemctl start restic-backups-remoteprune.service",
           'restic-remotebackup snapshots --json | ${pkgs.jq}/bin/jq "length | . == 1"',
 
+          # test that custom unit config is present
+          "systemctl cat restic-backups-customUnitConfig | grep custom-unit-config-was-written"
       )
 
       # test that the inhibit option is working