diff --git a/gnu-system.am b/gnu-system.am
index 36e7b6e937..c5b87cc6f4 100644
--- a/gnu-system.am
+++ b/gnu-system.am
@@ -359,11 +359,11 @@ GNU_SYSTEM_MODULES =				\
   gnu/system/file-systems.scm			\
   gnu/system/grub.scm				\
   gnu/system/install.scm			\
-  gnu/system/linux.scm				\
   gnu/system/linux-container.scm		\
   gnu/system/linux-initrd.scm			\
   gnu/system/locale.scm				\
   gnu/system/nss.scm				\
+  gnu/system/pam.scm				\
   gnu/system/shadow.scm				\
   gnu/system/vm.scm				\
 						\
diff --git a/gnu.scm b/gnu.scm
index e3147b39e3..f9a13246c3 100644
--- a/gnu.scm
+++ b/gnu.scm
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
       '((gnu system)
         (gnu system file-systems)
         (gnu system grub)                         ; 'grub-configuration'
-        (gnu system linux)                        ; 'base-pam-services'
+        (gnu system pam)
         (gnu system shadow)                       ; 'user-account'
         (gnu system linux-initrd)
         (gnu system nss)
diff --git a/gnu/services/base.scm b/gnu/services/base.scm
index 9d495565ad..6165410463 100644
--- a/gnu/services/base.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/base.scm
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@
   #:use-module (gnu services)
   #:use-module (gnu services dmd)
   #:use-module (gnu services networking)
+  #:use-module (gnu system pam)
   #:use-module (gnu system shadow)                ; 'user-account', etc.
-  #:use-module (gnu system linux)                 ; 'pam-service', etc.
   #:use-module (gnu system file-systems)          ; 'file-system', etc.
   #:use-module (gnu packages admin)
   #:use-module ((gnu packages linux)
diff --git a/gnu/services/desktop.scm b/gnu/services/desktop.scm
index 1986764697..0b4ed56d05 100644
--- a/gnu/services/desktop.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/desktop.scm
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
   #:use-module (gnu services xorg)
   #:use-module (gnu services networking)
   #:use-module (gnu system shadow)
-  #:use-module (gnu system linux) ; unix-pam-service
+  #:use-module (gnu system pam)
   #:use-module (gnu packages glib)
   #:use-module (gnu packages admin)
   #:use-module (gnu packages freedesktop)
diff --git a/gnu/services/networking.scm b/gnu/services/networking.scm
index 8f67976b23..a09714447e 100644
--- a/gnu/services/networking.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/networking.scm
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
   #:use-module (gnu services dmd)
   #:use-module (gnu services dbus)
   #:use-module (gnu system shadow)
-  #:use-module (gnu system linux)                 ;PAM
+  #:use-module (gnu system pam)
   #:use-module (gnu packages admin)
   #:use-module (gnu packages linux)
   #:use-module (gnu packages tor)
diff --git a/gnu/services/ssh.scm b/gnu/services/ssh.scm
index d3a6cfb33a..18556d2cc5 100644
--- a/gnu/services/ssh.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/ssh.scm
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   #:use-module (guix records)
   #:use-module (gnu services)
   #:use-module (gnu services dmd)
-  #:use-module (gnu system linux)                 ; 'pam-service'
+  #:use-module (gnu system pam)
   #:use-module (gnu packages lsh)
   #:export (lsh-service))
 
diff --git a/gnu/services/xorg.scm b/gnu/services/xorg.scm
index f4bc8245f5..dc2625d39b 100644
--- a/gnu/services/xorg.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/xorg.scm
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
   #:use-module (gnu artwork)
   #:use-module (gnu services)
   #:use-module (gnu services dmd)
-  #:use-module (gnu system linux)                 ; 'pam-service'
+  #:use-module (gnu system pam)
   #:use-module ((gnu packages base) #:select (canonical-package))
   #:use-module (gnu packages guile)
   #:use-module (gnu packages xorg)
diff --git a/gnu/system.scm b/gnu/system.scm
index 85a596ddb9..be6b1ac2c1 100644
--- a/gnu/system.scm
+++ b/gnu/system.scm
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
   #:use-module (gnu system shadow)
   #:use-module (gnu system nss)
   #:use-module (gnu system locale)
-  #:use-module (gnu system linux)
+  #:use-module (gnu system pam)
   #:use-module (gnu system linux-initrd)
   #:use-module (gnu system file-systems)
   #:use-module (ice-9 match)
diff --git a/gnu/system/linux.scm b/gnu/system/pam.scm
similarity index 98%
rename from gnu/system/linux.scm
rename to gnu/system/pam.scm
index 487d379e65..d8470f02a3 100644
--- a/gnu/system/linux.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/pam.scm
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 ;;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 ;;; along with GNU Guix.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-(define-module (gnu system linux)
+(define-module (gnu system pam)
   #:use-module (guix records)
   #:use-module (guix derivations)
   #:use-module (guix gexp)
@@ -36,8 +36,7 @@
 
 ;;; Commentary:
 ;;;
-;;; Configuration of Linux-related things, including pluggable authentication
-;;; modules (PAM).
+;;; Configuration of the pluggable authentication modules (PAM).
 ;;;
 ;;; Code:
 
diff --git a/gnu/system/vm.scm b/gnu/system/vm.scm
index dfb6996067..96ff27f90b 100644
--- a/gnu/system/vm.scm
+++ b/gnu/system/vm.scm
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
   #:use-module (gnu packages admin)
 
   #:use-module (gnu system shadow)
-  #:use-module (gnu system linux)
+  #:use-module (gnu system pam)
   #:use-module (gnu system linux-initrd)
   #:use-module (gnu system grub)
   #:use-module (gnu system file-systems)