diff --git a/docs/release-notes/rl-2111.adoc b/docs/release-notes/rl-2111.adoc
index 3430fc98776..ecd189956b1 100644
--- a/docs/release-notes/rl-2111.adoc
+++ b/docs/release-notes/rl-2111.adoc
@@ -44,4 +44,4 @@ The state version in this release includes the changes below. These
 changes are only active if the `home.stateVersion` option is set to
 "21.11" or later.
 
-* Nothing has happened.
+* The <<opt-home.keyboard>> option now defaults to `null`, meaning that Home Manager won't do any keyboard layout management. For example, `setxkbmap` won't be run in X sessions.
diff --git a/modules/home-environment.nix b/modules/home-environment.nix
index f7fc721db0c..abfc3e7ee61 100644
--- a/modules/home-environment.nix
+++ b/modules/home-environment.nix
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ with lib;
 
 let
 
+  inherit (config.home) stateVersion;
+
   cfg = config.home;
 
   languageSubModule = types.submodule {
@@ -220,7 +222,11 @@ in
 
     home.keyboard = mkOption {
       type = types.nullOr keyboardSubModule;
-      default = {};
+      default = if versionAtLeast stateVersion "21.11" then null else { };
+      defaultText = literalExpression ''
+        "{ }"  for state version < 21.11,
+        "null" for state version ≥ 21.11
+      '';
       description = ''
         Keyboard configuration. Set to <literal>null</literal> to
         disable Home Manager keyboard management.