diff --git a/modules/launchd/launchd.nix b/modules/launchd/launchd.nix
index b1a2d395b..63bb3c665 100644
--- a/modules/launchd/launchd.nix
+++ b/modules/launchd/launchd.nix
@@ -350,49 +350,52 @@ with lib;
         up.  If multiple intervals transpire before the computer is woken, those events will be coalesced into
         one event upon wake from sleep.
       '';
-      type = types.nullOr (types.listOf (types.submodule {
-        options = {
-          Minute = mkOption {
-            type = types.nullOr types.int;
-            default = null;
-            description = lib.mdDoc ''
-              The minute on which this job will be run.
-            '';
-          };
-
-          Hour = mkOption {
-            type = types.nullOr types.int;
-            default = null;
-            description = lib.mdDoc ''
-              The hour on which this job will be run.
-            '';
-          };
-
-          Day = mkOption {
-            type = types.nullOr types.int;
-            default = null;
-            description = lib.mdDoc ''
-              The day on which this job will be run.
-            '';
-          };
-
-          Weekday = mkOption {
-            type = types.nullOr types.int;
-            default = null;
-            description = lib.mdDoc ''
-              The weekday on which this job will be run (0 and 7 are Sunday).
-            '';
-          };
-
-          Month = mkOption {
-            type = types.nullOr types.int;
-            default = null;
-            description = lib.mdDoc ''
-              The month on which this job will be run.
-            '';
+      type = let
+        submod = types.submodule {
+          options = {
+            Minute = mkOption {
+              type = types.nullOr (types.ints.between 0 59);
+              default = null;
+              description = lib.mdDoc ''
+                The minute on which this job will be run.
+              '';
+            };
+
+            Hour = mkOption {
+              type = types.nullOr (types.ints.between 0 23);
+              default = null;
+              description = lib.mdDoc ''
+                The hour on which this job will be run.
+              '';
+            };
+
+            Day = mkOption {
+              type = types.nullOr (types.ints.between 1 31);
+              default = null;
+              description = lib.mdDoc ''
+                The day on which this job will be run.
+              '';
+            };
+
+            Weekday = mkOption {
+              type = types.nullOr (types.ints.between 0 7);
+              default = null;
+              description = lib.mdDoc ''
+                The weekday on which this job will be run (0 and 7 are Sunday).
+              '';
+            };
+
+            Month = mkOption {
+              type = types.nullOr (types.ints.between 1 12);
+              default = null;
+              description = lib.mdDoc ''
+                The month on which this job will be run.
+              '';
+            };
           };
         };
-      }));
+      in
+        types.nullOr (types.either submod (types.addCheck (types.listOf submod) (x: x != [])));
     };
 
     StandardInPath = mkOption {
diff --git a/modules/services/nix-gc/default.nix b/modules/services/nix-gc/default.nix
index f13e250cc..a703ed41a 100644
--- a/modules/services/nix-gc/default.nix
+++ b/modules/services/nix-gc/default.nix
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ with lib;
 
 let
   cfg = config.nix.gc;
+  launchdConfig = import ../../launchd/launchd.nix {inherit config lib;};
 in
 
 {
@@ -35,9 +36,12 @@ in
       };
 
       interval = mkOption {
-        type = types.attrs;
+        type = let
+          t = launchdConfig.options.StartCalendarInterval.type;
+        in
+          types.addCheck (t // {description = lib.removePrefix "null or" t.description;}) (x: x != null);
         default = { Hour = 3; Minute = 15; };
-        description = lib.mdDoc "The time interval at which the garbage collector will run.";
+        description = lib.mdDoc "The calendar interval at which the garbage collector will run.";
       };
 
       options = mkOption {
@@ -63,7 +67,7 @@ in
       command = "${config.nix.package}/bin/nix-collect-garbage ${cfg.options}";
       environment.NIX_REMOTE = optionalString config.nix.useDaemon "daemon";
       serviceConfig.RunAtLoad = false;
-      serviceConfig.StartCalendarInterval = [ cfg.interval ];
+      serviceConfig.StartCalendarInterval = cfg.interval;
       serviceConfig.UserName = cfg.user;
     };