diff --git a/gnu/services/cuirass.scm b/gnu/services/cuirass.scm
index 36e90fc825..f92d33bf94 100644
--- a/gnu/services/cuirass.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/cuirass.scm
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
 ;;; Copyright © 2016 Mathieu Lirzin <mthl@gnu.org>
-;;; Copyright © 2016, 2017, 2018 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2017 Mathieu Othacehe <m.othacehe@gmail.com>
 ;;; Copyright © 2017 Jan Nieuwenhuizen <janneke@gnu.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2018 Ricardo Wurmus <rekado@elephly.net>
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@
            (system? #t)
            (comment "Cuirass privilege separation user")
            (home-directory (string-append "/var/lib/" cuirass-user))
-           (shell #~(string-append #$shadow "/sbin/nologin"))))))
+           (shell (file-append shadow "/sbin/nologin"))))))
 
 (define (cuirass-activation config)
   "Return the activation code for CONFIG."
diff --git a/gnu/services/monitoring.scm b/gnu/services/monitoring.scm
index 685641f110..611448b733 100644
--- a/gnu/services/monitoring.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/monitoring.scm
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ configuration file."))
            (group zabbix-group)
            (comment "zabbix privilege separation user")
            (home-directory (string-append "/var/run/" zabbix-user))
-           (shell #~(string-append #$shadow "/sbin/nologin"))))))
+           (shell (file-append shadow "/sbin/nologin"))))))
 
 (define (zabbix-server-config-file config)
   "Return the zabbix-server configuration file corresponding to CONFIG."
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ configuration file."))
            (group zabbix-group)
            (comment "zabbix privilege separation user")
            (home-directory (string-append "/var/run/" zabbix-user))
-           (shell #~(string-append #$shadow "/sbin/nologin"))))))
+           (shell (file-append shadow "/sbin/nologin"))))))
 
 (define (zabbix-agent-activation config)
   "Return the activation gexp for CONFIG."
diff --git a/gnu/services/rsync.scm b/gnu/services/rsync.scm
index 621e6c46d4..6c117bbda4 100644
--- a/gnu/services/rsync.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/rsync.scm
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@
            (comment "rsyncd privilege separation user")
            (home-directory (string-append "/var/run/"
                                           rsync-user))
-           (shell #~(string-append #$shadow "/sbin/nologin"))))))
+           (shell (file-append shadow "/sbin/nologin"))))))
 
 (define (rsync-activation config)
   "Return the activation GEXP for CONFIG."
diff --git a/gnu/services/ssh.scm b/gnu/services/ssh.scm
index 97b7f3c07b..362a7f1490 100644
--- a/gnu/services/ssh.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/ssh.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;; Copyright © 2016 David Craven <david@craven.ch>
 ;;; Copyright © 2016 Julien Lepiller <julien@lepiller.eu>
 ;;; Copyright © 2017 Clément Lassieur <clement@lassieur.org>
@@ -349,7 +349,7 @@ The other options should be self-descriptive."
           (system? #t)
           (comment "sshd privilege separation user")
           (home-directory "/var/run/sshd")
-          (shell #~(string-append #$shadow "/sbin/nologin")))))
+          (shell (file-append shadow "/sbin/nologin")))))
 
 (define (openssh-activation config)
   "Return the activation GEXP for CONFIG."