diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/mail/spamassassin.nix b/nixos/modules/services/mail/spamassassin.nix
index 98d9e925dcd..036f1bfebd3 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/mail/spamassassin.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/mail/spamassassin.nix
@@ -135,7 +135,10 @@ in
         User = "spamd";
         Group = "spamd";
         StateDirectory = "spamassassin";
-        ExecStart = "${pkgs.spamassassin}/bin/sa-update --verbose --gpghomedir=%S/spamassassin/sa-update-keys/";
+        ExecStart = [
+          "${pkgs.spamassassin}/bin/sa-update --verbose --gpghomedir=%S/spamassassin/sa-update-keys/"
+          "${pkgs.spamassassin}/bin/sa-compile"
+        ];
         ExecStartPost = "+${pkgs.systemd}/bin/systemctl -q --no-block try-reload-or-restart spamd.service";
         SuccessExitStatus = "1";
       };