diff --git a/changelog.d/6490.doc b/changelog.d/6490.doc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6db351d7db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/6490.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Update documentation and variables in user contributed systemd reference file.
diff --git a/contrib/systemd/matrix-synapse.service b/contrib/systemd/matrix-synapse.service
index bd492544b6..813717b032 100644
--- a/contrib/systemd/matrix-synapse.service
+++ b/contrib/systemd/matrix-synapse.service
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Restart=on-abort
 User=synapse
 Group=nogroup
 
-WorkingDirectory=/opt/synapse
+WorkingDirectory=/home/synapse/synapse
 ExecStart=/home/synapse/synapse/env/bin/python -m synapse.app.homeserver --config-path=/home/synapse/synapse/homeserver.yaml
 SyslogIdentifier=matrix-synapse