diff --git a/modules/misc/news.nix b/modules/misc/news.nix
index ae63cd2a6f56..3179a6d235d6 100644
--- a/modules/misc/news.nix
+++ b/modules/misc/news.nix
@@ -2149,6 +2149,15 @@ in
           A new module is available: 'services.trayer'.
         '';
       }
+      {
+        time = "2021-09-08T19:46:25.315Z";
+        message = ''
+          The neovim module has a new option: 'neovim.initExtra'.
+
+          This adds extra vimscript configuration to add to the top of the
+          generated configuration file.
+        '';
+      }
     ];
   };
 }
diff --git a/modules/programs/neovim.nix b/modules/programs/neovim.nix
index a5ffd110d1c1..22ddc9a0cb54 100644
--- a/modules/programs/neovim.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/neovim.nix
@@ -53,7 +53,11 @@ let
         (map (x: if x ? plugin && x.optional == true then x.plugin else null)
           cfg.plugins);
     };
-    beforePlugins = "";
+    beforePlugins = ''
+      " generated by Home Manager
+      set nocompatible
+      ${cfg.initExtra}
+    '';
   };
 
   extraMakeWrapperArgs = lib.optionalString (cfg.extraPackages != [ ])
@@ -79,6 +83,14 @@ in {
         '';
       };
 
+      initExtra = mkOption {
+        type = types.lines;
+        default = "";
+        description = ''
+          Configuration to insert on the top of init.vim
+        '';
+      };
+
       vimAlias = mkOption {
         type = types.bool;
         default = false;
@@ -121,6 +133,15 @@ in {
         '';
       };
 
+      generatedConfigViml = mkOption {
+        type = types.lines;
+        visible = true;
+        readOnly = true;
+        description = ''
+          Generated vimscript config.
+        '';
+      };
+
       extraPython3Packages = mkOption {
         type = with types; either extraPython3PackageType (listOf package);
         default = (_: [ ]);
@@ -132,15 +153,6 @@ in {
         '';
       };
 
-      generatedConfigViml = mkOption {
-        type = types.lines;
-        visible = true;
-        readOnly = true;
-        description = ''
-          Generated vimscript config.
-        '';
-      };
-
       package = mkOption {
         type = types.package;
         default = pkgs.neovim-unwrapped;
@@ -289,13 +301,14 @@ in {
         configure.customRC -> programs.neovim.extraConfig
     '';
 
-    programs.neovim.generatedConfigViml = neovimConfig.neovimRcContent;
-
     home.packages = [ cfg.finalPackage ];
 
+    programs.neovim.generatedConfigViml = neovimConfig.neovimRcContent;
+
     xdg.configFile."nvim/init.vim" = mkIf (neovimConfig.neovimRcContent != "") {
       text = neovimConfig.neovimRcContent;
     };
+
     xdg.configFile."nvim/coc-settings.json" = mkIf cfg.coc.enable {
       source = jsonFormat.generate "coc-settings.json" cfg.coc.settings;
     };
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.vim b/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.vim
index 89278a0a94c4..b69a3b681946 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.vim
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/neovim/plugin-config.vim
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+" generated by Home Manager
+set nocompatible
+
+
 set packpath^=/nix/store/00000000000000000000000000000000-vim-pack-dir
 set runtimepath^=/nix/store/00000000000000000000000000000000-vim-pack-dir