diff --git a/hosts/common/persist.nix b/hosts/common/persist.nix
index 8f82047e..b6933a7f 100644
--- a/hosts/common/persist.nix
+++ b/hosts/common/persist.nix
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     "/var/lib/alsa"                # preserve output levels, default devices
     "/var/lib/colord"              # preserve color calibrations (?)
     "/var/lib/machines"            # maybe not needed, but would be painful to add a VM and forget.
+    "/var/lib/systemd/backlight"   # backlight brightness
     "/var/lib/systemd/coredump"
   ];
 }
diff --git a/hosts/modules/gui/default.nix b/hosts/modules/gui/default.nix
index e762d774..e77549d6 100644
--- a/hosts/modules/gui/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/modules/gui/default.nix
@@ -12,24 +12,4 @@ in
     ./plasma-mobile.nix
     ./sway.nix
   ];
-
-  options = {
-    sane.gui.enable = mkOption {
-      default = false;
-      type = types.bool;
-      description = ''
-        enables config used by any GUI, like display management or select packages.
-        the user should prefer to interact with specific GUIs like `sane.gui.sway`
-        and let those modules auto-set this flag when necessary.
-      '';
-    };
-  };
-
-  config = mkIf cfg.enable {
-    sane.programs.guiApps.enableFor.user.colin = mkDefault true;
-
-    # preserve backlight brightness across power cycles
-    # see `man systemd-backlight`
-    sane.persist.sys.plaintext = [ "/var/lib/systemd/backlight" ];
-  };
 }
diff --git a/hosts/modules/gui/gnome.nix b/hosts/modules/gui/gnome.nix
index 87cdb09d..7fbc2ff8 100644
--- a/hosts/modules/gui/gnome.nix
+++ b/hosts/modules/gui/gnome.nix
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ in
   };
 
   config = mkIf cfg.enable {
-    sane.gui.enable = true;
+    sane.programs.guiApps.enableFor.user.colin = true;
 
     # start gnome/gdm on boot
     services.xserver.enable = true;
diff --git a/hosts/modules/gui/phosh.nix b/hosts/modules/gui/phosh.nix
index fce3e319..c6a42c3f 100644
--- a/hosts/modules/gui/phosh.nix
+++ b/hosts/modules/gui/phosh.nix
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ in
     }
 
     (mkIf cfg.enable {
-      sane.gui.enable = true;
       sane.programs.phoshApps.enableFor.user.colin = true;
 
       # docs: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/nixos-22.05/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/phosh.nix
diff --git a/hosts/modules/gui/plasma-mobile.nix b/hosts/modules/gui/plasma-mobile.nix
index abaab37c..dd648347 100644
--- a/hosts/modules/gui/plasma-mobile.nix
+++ b/hosts/modules/gui/plasma-mobile.nix
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ in
   };
 
   config = mkIf cfg.enable {
-    sane.gui.enable = true;
+    sane.programs.guiApps.enableFor.user.colin = true;
+
     # start plasma-mobile on boot
     services.xserver.enable = true;
     services.xserver.desktopManager.plasma5.mobile.enable = true;
diff --git a/hosts/modules/gui/plasma.nix b/hosts/modules/gui/plasma.nix
index 5b176477..d427daae 100644
--- a/hosts/modules/gui/plasma.nix
+++ b/hosts/modules/gui/plasma.nix
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ in
   };
 
   config = mkIf cfg.enable {
-    sane.gui.enable = true;
+    sane.programs.guiApps.enableFor.user.colin = true;
 
     # start plasma on boot
     services.xserver.enable = true;
diff --git a/hosts/modules/gui/sway.nix b/hosts/modules/gui/sway.nix
index 196868c1..bafe3637 100644
--- a/hosts/modules/gui/sway.nix
+++ b/hosts/modules/gui/sway.nix
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ in
       sane.programs.swayApps = {
         package = null;
         suggestedPrograms = [
+          "guiApps"
           "swaylock"
           "swayidle"
           "wl-clipboard"
@@ -152,7 +153,6 @@ in
     }
 
     (mkIf cfg.enable {
-      sane.gui.enable = true;
       sane.programs.swayApps.enableFor.user.colin = true;
 
       # swap in these lines to use SDDM instead of `services.greetd`.