diff --git a/gnu/home/services.scm b/gnu/home/services.scm
index 254663c6bb..41e60886d0 100644
--- a/gnu/home/services.scm
+++ b/gnu/home/services.scm
@@ -285,10 +285,10 @@ directory containing FILES."
                 (description "Files that will be put in
 @file{~~/.guix-home/files}, and further processed during activation.")))
 
-(define xdg-configuration-files-directory "config")
+(define xdg-configuration-files-directory ".config")
 
 (define (xdg-configuration-files files)
-  "Add config/ prefix to each file-path in FILES."
+  "Add .config/ prefix to each file-path in FILES."
   (map (match-lambda
          ((file-path . rest)
           (cons (string-append xdg-configuration-files-directory "/" file-path)
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ directory containing FILES."
          files))
 
 (define home-xdg-configuration-files-service-type
-  (service-type (name 'home-files)
+  (service-type (name 'home-xdg-configuration)
                 (extensions
                  (list (service-extension home-files-service-type
                                           xdg-configuration-files)))
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ directory containing FILES."
                 (extend append)
                 (default-value '())
                 (description "Files that will be put in
-@file{~~/.guix-home/files/config}, and further processed during activation.")))
+@file{~~/.guix-home/files/.config}, and further processed during activation.")))
 
 (define %initialize-gettext
   #~(begin
diff --git a/gnu/home/services/shells.scm b/gnu/home/services/shells.scm
index b0147291fc..93837b8504 100644
--- a/gnu/home/services/shells.scm
+++ b/gnu/home/services/shells.scm
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ user's customizations.  Extend home-shell-profile service only if you
 really know what you do."))
 
 (define (add-shell-profile-file config)
-  `(("profile"
+  `((".profile"
      ,(mixed-text-file
        "shell-profile"
        "\
@@ -211,16 +211,16 @@ source ~/.profile
         (zsh-serialize-field config field)))))
 
 (define (zsh-get-configuration-files config)
-  `(("zprofile" ,(zsh-file-by-field config 'zprofile)) ;; Always non-empty
+  `((".zprofile" ,(zsh-file-by-field config 'zprofile)) ;; Always non-empty
     ,@(if (or (zsh-field-not-empty? config 'zshenv)
               (zsh-field-not-empty? config 'environment-variables))
-          `(("zshenv" ,(zsh-file-by-field config 'zshenv))) '())
+          `((".zshenv" ,(zsh-file-by-field config 'zshenv))) '())
     ,@(if (zsh-field-not-empty? config 'zshrc)
-          `(("zshrc" ,(zsh-file-by-field config 'zshrc))) '())
+          `((".zshrc" ,(zsh-file-by-field config 'zshrc))) '())
     ,@(if (zsh-field-not-empty? config 'zlogin)
-          `(("zlogin" ,(zsh-file-by-field config 'zlogin))) '())
+          `((".zlogin" ,(zsh-file-by-field config 'zlogin))) '())
     ,@(if (zsh-field-not-empty? config 'zlogout)
-          `(("zlogout" ,(zsh-file-by-field config 'zlogout))) '())))
+          `((".zlogout" ,(zsh-file-by-field config 'zlogout))) '())))
 
 (define (zsh-home-files config)
   (define zshenv-auxiliary-file
@@ -230,14 +230,14 @@ source ~/.profile
      "[[ -f $ZDOTDIR/.zshenv ]] && source $ZDOTDIR/.zshenv\n"))
 
   (if (home-zsh-configuration-xdg-flavor? config)
-      `(("zshenv" ,zshenv-auxiliary-file))
+      `((".zshenv" ,zshenv-auxiliary-file))
       (zsh-get-configuration-files config)))
 
 (define (zsh-xdg-configuration-files config)
   (if (home-zsh-configuration-xdg-flavor? config)
       (map
        (lambda (lst)
-         (cons (string-append "zsh/." (car lst))
+         (cons (string-append "zsh/" (car lst))
                (cdr lst)))
        (zsh-get-configuration-files config))
       '()))
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ alias grep='grep --color=auto'\n")
           (field-obj (car (filter-fields field))))
       (if (or extra-content
               (not (null? ((configuration-field-getter field-obj) config))))
-          `(,(object->snake-case-string file-name)
+          `(,(string-append "." (object->snake-case-string file-name))
             ,(apply mixed-text-file
                     (object->snake-case-string file-name)
                     (append (or extra-content '())
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ alias grep='grep --color=auto'\n")
 
   (filter
    (compose not null?)
-   `(("bash_profile"
+   `((".bash_profile"
       ,(mixed-text-file
         "bash_profile"
         "\
diff --git a/gnu/home/services/symlink-manager.scm b/gnu/home/services/symlink-manager.scm
index 3b851229f3..b7a66c5518 100644
--- a/gnu/home/services/symlink-manager.scm
+++ b/gnu/home/services/symlink-manager.scm
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ subdirectory from XDG_CONFIG_HOME to generate a target path."
                            (1+ (string-length home-directory)))
                 (substring file
                            (string-length #$xdg-configuration-files-directory)))
-               (string-append "." file)))
+               file))
 
          (define (target-file file)
            ;; Return the target of FILE, a config file name sans leading dot
diff --git a/gnu/home/services/xdg.scm b/gnu/home/services/xdg.scm
index 361a2a6148..3b504d7d09 100644
--- a/gnu/home/services/xdg.scm
+++ b/gnu/home/services/xdg.scm
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ that the application cannot open the specified MIME type.")
   (define (add-xdg-desktop-entry-file entry)
     (let ((file (first entry))
           (config (second entry)))
-      (list (format #f "local/share/applications/~a" file)
+      (list (format #f ".local/share/applications/~a" file)
           (apply mixed-text-file
                  (format #f "xdg-desktop-~a-entry" file)
                  config))))