diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index eeb2efa488..50ac49e65f 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -20740,41 +20740,71 @@ Networking Services
 @cindex SSH
 @cindex SSH server
 
-@deffn {Scheme Procedure} lsh-service [#:host-key "/etc/lsh/host-key"] @
-       [#:daemonic? #t] [#:interfaces '()] [#:port-number 22] @
-       [#:allow-empty-passwords? #f] [#:root-login? #f] @
-       [#:syslog-output? #t] [#:x11-forwarding? #t] @
-       [#:tcp/ip-forwarding? #t] [#:password-authentication? #t] @
-       [#:public-key-authentication? #t] [#:initialize? #t]
-Run the @command{lshd} program from @var{lsh} to listen on port @var{port-number}.
-@var{host-key} must designate a file containing the host key, and readable
-only by root.
-
-When @var{daemonic?} is true, @command{lshd} will detach from the
-controlling terminal and log its output to syslogd, unless one sets
-@var{syslog-output?} to false.  Obviously, it also makes lsh-service
-depend on existence of syslogd service.  When @var{pid-file?} is true,
-@command{lshd} writes its PID to the file called @var{pid-file}.
-
-When @var{initialize?} is true, automatically create the seed and host key
-upon service activation if they do not exist yet.  This may take long and
-require interaction.
-
-When @var{initialize?} is false, it is up to the user to initialize the
-randomness generator (@pxref{lsh-make-seed,,, lsh, LSH Manual}), and to create
-a key pair with the private key stored in file @var{host-key} (@pxref{lshd
-basics,,, lsh, LSH Manual}).
-
-When @var{interfaces} is empty, lshd listens for connections on all the
-network interfaces; otherwise, @var{interfaces} must be a list of host names
-or addresses.
-
-@var{allow-empty-passwords?} specifies whether to accept log-ins with empty
-passwords, and @var{root-login?} specifies whether to accept log-ins as
-root.
+@defvar lsh-service-type
+Type of the service that runs the GNU@tie{}lsh secure shell (SSH)
+daemon, @command{lshd}.  The value for this service is a
+@code{<lsh-configuration>} object.
+@end defvar
 
-The other options should be self-descriptive.
-@end deffn
+@deftp {Data Type} lsh-configuration
+Data type representing the configuration of @command{lshd}.
+
+@table @asis
+@item @code{lsh} (default: @code{lsh}) (type: file-like)
+The package object of the GNU@tie{}lsh secure shell (SSH) daemon.
+
+@item @code{daemonic?} (default: @code{#t}) (type: boolean)
+Whether to detach from the controlling terminal.
+
+@item @code{host-key} (default: @code{"/etc/lsh/host-key"}) (type: string)
+File containing the @dfn{host key}.  This file must be readable by
+root only.
+
+@item @code{interfaces} (default: @code{()}) (type: list)
+List of host names or addresses that @command{lshd} will listen on.
+If empty, @command{lshd} listens for connections on all the network
+interfaces.
+
+@item @code{port-number} (default: @code{22}) (type: integer)
+Port to listen on.
+
+@item @code{allow-empty-passwords?} (default: @code{#f}) (type: boolean)
+Whether to accept log-ins with empty passwords.
+
+@item @code{root-login?} (default: @code{#f}) (type: boolean)
+Whether to accept log-ins as root.
+
+@item @code{syslog-output?} (default: @code{#t}) (type: boolean)
+Whether to log @command{lshd} standard output to syslogd.
+This will make the service depend on the existence of a syslogd service.
+
+@item @code{pid-file?} (default: @code{#f}) (type: boolean)
+When @code{#t}, @command{lshd} writes its PID to the file specified in
+@var{pid-file}.
+
+@item @code{pid-file} (default: @code{"/var/run/lshd.pid"}) (type: string)
+File that @command{lshd} will write its PID to.
+
+@item @code{x11-forwarding?} (default: @code{#t}) (type: boolean)
+Whether to enable X11 forwarding.
+
+@item @code{tcp/ip-forwarding?} (default: @code{#t}) (type: boolean)
+Whether to enable TCP/IP forwarding.
+
+@item @code{password-authentication?} (default: @code{#t}) (type: boolean)
+Whether to accept log-ins using password authentication.
+
+@item @code{public-key-authentication?} (default: @code{#t}) (type: boolean)
+Whether to accept log-ins using public key authentication.
+
+@item @code{initialize?} (default: @code{#t}) (type: boolean)
+When @code{#f}, it is up to the user to initialize the randomness
+generator (@pxref{lsh-make-seed,,, lsh, LSH Manual}), and to create
+a key pair with the private key stored in file @var{host-key}
+(@pxref{lshd basics,,, lsh, LSH Manual}).
+
+@end table
+@end deftp
 
 @cindex SSH
 @cindex SSH server
diff --git a/gnu/services/ssh.scm b/gnu/services/ssh.scm
index 7b038e6ac6..3baa55731d 100644
--- a/gnu/services/ssh.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/ssh.scm
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ (define-module (gnu services ssh)
   #:use-module (ice-9 vlist)
   #:export (lsh-configuration
             lsh-configuration?
-            lsh-service
+            lsh-service  ; deprecated
             lsh-service-type
 
             openssh-configuration
@@ -74,20 +74,34 @@ (define-record-type* <lsh-configuration>
   lsh-configuration?
   (lsh lsh-configuration-lsh
        (default lsh))
-  (daemonic? lsh-configuration-daemonic?)
-  (host-key lsh-configuration-host-key)
-  (interfaces lsh-configuration-interfaces)
-  (port-number lsh-configuration-port-number)
-  (allow-empty-passwords? lsh-configuration-allow-empty-passwords?)
-  (root-login? lsh-configuration-root-login?)
-  (syslog-output? lsh-configuration-syslog-output?)
-  (pid-file? lsh-configuration-pid-file?)
-  (pid-file lsh-configuration-pid-file)
-  (x11-forwarding? lsh-configuration-x11-forwarding?)
-  (tcp/ip-forwarding? lsh-configuration-tcp/ip-forwarding?)
-  (password-authentication? lsh-configuration-password-authentication?)
-  (public-key-authentication? lsh-configuration-public-key-authentication?)
-  (initialize? lsh-configuration-initialize?))
+  (daemonic? lsh-configuration-daemonic?
+             (default #t))
+  (host-key lsh-configuration-host-key
+            (default "/etc/lsh/host-key"))
+  (interfaces lsh-configuration-interfaces
+              (default '()))
+  (port-number lsh-configuration-port-number
+               (default 22))
+  (allow-empty-passwords? lsh-configuration-allow-empty-passwords?
+                          (default #f))
+  (root-login? lsh-configuration-root-login?
+               (default #f))
+  (syslog-output? lsh-configuration-syslog-output?
+                  (default #t))
+  (pid-file? lsh-configuration-pid-file?
+             (default #f))
+  (pid-file lsh-configuration-pid-file
+            (default "/var/run/lshd.pid"))
+  (x11-forwarding? lsh-configuration-x11-forwarding?
+                   (default #t))
+  (tcp/ip-forwarding? lsh-configuration-tcp/ip-forwarding?
+                      (default #t))
+  (password-authentication? lsh-configuration-password-authentication?
+                            (default #t))
+  (public-key-authentication? lsh-configuration-public-key-authentication?
+                              (default #t))
+  (initialize? lsh-configuration-initialize?
+               (default #t)))
 
 (define %yarrow-seed
   "/var/spool/lsh/yarrow-seed-file")
@@ -203,19 +217,20 @@ (define (lsh-pam-services config)
          (lsh-configuration-allow-empty-passwords? config))))
 
 (define lsh-service-type
-  (service-type (name 'lsh)
-                (description
-                 "Run the GNU@tie{}lsh secure shell (SSH) daemon,
+  (service-type
+   (name 'lsh)
+   (extensions
+    (list (service-extension shepherd-root-service-type
+                             lsh-shepherd-service)
+          (service-extension pam-root-service-type
+                             lsh-pam-services)
+          (service-extension activation-service-type
+                             lsh-activation)))
+   (description "Run the GNU@tie{}lsh secure shell (SSH) daemon,
 @command{lshd}.")
-                (extensions
-                 (list (service-extension shepherd-root-service-type
-                                          lsh-shepherd-service)
-                       (service-extension pam-root-service-type
-                                          lsh-pam-services)
-                       (service-extension activation-service-type
-                                          lsh-activation)))))
+   (default-value (lsh-configuration))))
 
-(define* (lsh-service #:key
+(define-deprecated (lsh-service #:key
                       (lsh lsh)
                       (daemonic? #t)
                       (host-key "/etc/lsh/host-key")
@@ -231,6 +246,7 @@ (define* (lsh-service #:key
                       (password-authentication? #t)
                       (public-key-authentication? #t)
                       (initialize? #t))
+  lsh-service-type
   "Run the @command{lshd} program from @var{lsh} to listen on port @var{port-number}.
 @var{host-key} must designate a file containing the host key, and readable
 only by root.
