diff --git a/nixpatches/list.nix b/nixpatches/list.nix
index 2d335dbf..21e6fda4 100644
--- a/nixpatches/list.nix
+++ b/nixpatches/list.nix
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@ in [
     # hash = "sha256-tKeumQ1R/UWTL2J9RaGs8p9QHxGxP2a1DevHnX/ElRU=";
     hash = "sha256-W9IS3JNPk5LkJeuZ+EL8NIv8+v7wEZo8Gt+ofq3RrrY=";
   })
+  (fetchpatch' {
+    title = "gspell: enable vala for cross compilation";
+    prUrl = "https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/263135";
+    saneCommit = "293bfdc031a1eaa5cc571000977df14b6d8237c8";
+    # hash = "sha256-n6xatVeqMweuy/bm68cxWUkgUoS+H1xNRjT0JDFXeEs=";
+    hash = "sha256-PXatkvLjEgQJ4rRIjEOadKscM0WYWTozIFt2vzWOMKY=";
+  })
   (fetchpatch' {
     title = "trust-dns: 0.23.0 -> 0.24.0";
     prUrl = "https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/263054";
diff --git a/overlays/cross.nix b/overlays/cross.nix
index d3a7faf7..6b2b1ec4 100644
--- a/overlays/cross.nix
+++ b/overlays/cross.nix
@@ -864,17 +864,18 @@ in {
   #   # remove logic which was removing introspection/vala on cross compilation
   #   mesonFlags = [];
   # });
-  gspell = prev.gspell.overrideAttrs (upstream: {
-    depsBuildBuild = (upstream.depsBuildBuild or []) ++ [
-      # without this, vapi files ($dev/share/vapi/vala/gspell-1.vapi) aren't generated.
-      # that breaks consumers like `gnome.geary`
-      final.pkg-config
-    ];
-    configureFlags = upstream.configureFlags ++ [
-      # not necessary, but enforces that we really do produce vapi files
-      "--enable-vala"
-    ];
-  });
+  # 2023/10/23: out for review: <https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/263135>
+  # gspell = prev.gspell.overrideAttrs (upstream: {
+  #   depsBuildBuild = (upstream.depsBuildBuild or []) ++ [
+  #     # without this, vapi files ($dev/share/vapi/vala/gspell-1.vapi) aren't generated.
+  #     # that breaks consumers like `gnome.geary`
+  #     final.pkg-config
+  #   ];
+  #   configureFlags = upstream.configureFlags ++ [
+  #     # not necessary, but enforces that we really do produce vapi files
+  #     "--enable-vala"
+  #   ];
+  # });
 
   # 2023/07/27: upstreaming is blocked on p11-kit, libavif cross compilation
   gvfs = prev.gvfs.overrideAttrs (upstream: {