diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index 9375aac30c..c328af40cd 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -16848,6 +16848,17 @@ A typical hpcguix-web service declaration looks like this:
                 (menu '(("/about" "ABOUT"))))))))
 @end example
 
+@quotation Note
+The hpcguix-web service periodically updates the package list it publishes by
+pulling channels from Git.  To that end, it needs to access X.509 certificates
+so that it can authenticate Git servers when communicating over HTTPS, and it
+assumes that @file{/etc/ssl/certs} contains those certificates.
+
+Thus, make sure to add @code{nss-certs} or another certificate package to the
+@code{packages} field of your configuration.  @ref{X.509 Certificates}, for
+more information on X.509 certificates.
+@end quotation
+
 @node Certificate Services
 @subsubsection Certificate Services
 
diff --git a/gnu/services/web.scm b/gnu/services/web.scm
index 467656444e..3778efd048 100644
--- a/gnu/services/web.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/web.scm
@@ -967,7 +967,8 @@ (define (hpcguix-web-shepherd-service config)
                  #:user "hpcguix-web"
                  #:group "hpcguix-web"
                  #:environment-variables
-                 (list "XDG_CACHE_HOME=/var/cache")))
+                 (list "XDG_CACHE_HOME=/var/cache"
+                       "SSL_CERT_DIR=/etc/ssl/certs")))
        (stop #~(make-kill-destructor))))))
 
 (define hpcguix-web-service-type