diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/network-filesystems/samba.nix b/nixos/modules/services/network-filesystems/samba.nix
index f236d44d5d0e4..cb68a27b20dd4 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/network-filesystems/samba.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/network-filesystems/samba.nix
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ with lib;
 let
   cfg = config.services.samba;
 
-  settingsFormat = pkgs.formats.ini { };
+  settingsFormat = pkgs.formats.ini {
+    listToValue = lib.concatMapStringsSep " " (generators.mkValueStringDefault { });
+  };
   # Ensure the global section is always first
   globalConfigFile = settingsFormat.generate "smb-global.conf" { global = cfg.settings.global; };
   sharesConfigFile = settingsFormat.generate "smb-shares.conf" (lib.removeAttrs cfg.settings [ "global" ]);
@@ -122,7 +124,6 @@ in
               type = lib.types.listOf lib.types.str;
               default = [ "root" ];
               description = "List of users who are denied to login via Samba.";
-              apply = x: lib.concatStringsSep " " x;
             };
             global."passwd program" = lib.mkOption {
               type = lib.types.str;