diff --git a/overlays/preferences.nix b/overlays/preferences.nix
index 3eea5568f..7d8117484 100644
--- a/overlays/preferences.nix
+++ b/overlays/preferences.nix
@@ -41,14 +41,6 @@ in
   #   hareHook = crossHareHook;
   # };
 
-  # XXX(2024-12-26 - 2025-04-30): prefer pre-built electron because otherwise it takes 4 hrs to build from source.
-  # but wait 2 days after staging -> master merge, and normal electron should be cached and safe to remove
-  electron = electron-bin;
-  electron_33 = electron_33-bin;
-  electron_34 = electron_34-bin;
-  electron_35 = electron_35-bin;
-  electron_36 = electron_36-bin;
-
   # evolution-data-server = super.evolution-data-server.override {
   #   # OAuth depends on webkitgtk_4_1: old, forces an annoying recompilation
   #   enableOAuth2 = false;
@@ -183,4 +175,19 @@ in
   # 2023/12/10: zbar barcode scanner: used by megapixels, frog.
   # the video component does not cross compile (qt deps), but i don't need that.
   zbar = super.zbar.override { enableVideo = false; };
-})
+} // (
+let
+  # XXX(2024-12-26 - 2025-08-07): prefer pre-built electron because otherwise it takes 4 hrs to build from source.
+  # but wait 2 days after staging -> master merge, and normal electron should be cached and safe to remove
+  maxVersion = 99;
+  versions = super.lib.range 1 maxVersion;
+  electronName = v: "electron_${builtins.toString v}";
+  electronOverrides = builtins.foldl' (acc: name: acc // super.lib.optionalAttrs (super ? "${name}-bin") {
+    "${name}" = super."${name}-bin";
+  }) {} (builtins.map electronName versions);
+in
+  super.lib.throwIf
+    (super ? "${electronName (maxVersion+1)}")
+    "electron has updated past ${builtins.toString maxVersion}: bump maxVersion to continue using electron-bin"
+    electronOverrides
+))
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/master.nix b/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/master.nix
index 78434043a..69ce3affa 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/master.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/master.nix
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
   mkNixpkgs ? import ./mkNixpkgs.nix {},
 }:
 mkNixpkgs {
-  rev = "c2ae88e026f9525daf89587f3cbee584b92b6134";
-  sha256 = "sha256-erbiH2agUTD0Z30xcVSFcDHzkRvkRXOQ3lb887bcVrs=";
-  version = "unstable-2025-08-06";
+  rev = "53befe95a9700fa9bb6b93e913c02a8d7f0cd22e";
+  sha256 = "sha256-uOOXepnXGHCv4203sHEqKGipoiWvMmmw1NGN7+tZ5sQ=";
+  version = "unstable-2025-08-08";
   branch = "master";
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/staging-next.nix b/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/staging-next.nix
index 77bec95a7..bb58609d9 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/staging-next.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/staging-next.nix
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
   mkNixpkgs ? import ./mkNixpkgs.nix {},
 }:
 mkNixpkgs {
-  rev = "5da2bc6cb2ef285e10507d34d0481658cfca8f45";
-  sha256 = "sha256-E6fJqlTrOWmMS1rjfWF1uwcYWHU3gAXK2C6xmTPx6Ew=";
-  version = "unstable-2025-08-06";
+  rev = "b207c5222b84e13aed244e90134c687e67f00430";
+  sha256 = "sha256-Tczp3NqjLGA8k+7OC2T/+gwncD0tLTaKxBdIqUMJD7A=";
+  version = "unstable-2025-08-08";
   branch = "staging-next";
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/staging.nix b/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/staging.nix
index 9e3518ce9..f80899e77 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/staging.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/nixpkgs-bootstrap/staging.nix
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@
   mkNixpkgs ? import ./mkNixpkgs.nix {},
 }:
 mkNixpkgs {
-  rev = "13e07277976e41011caf25fe62201e9fb6de29df";
-  sha256 = "sha256-aYWjNYBfusR2CMhKNOWhQ1CDsqS+Yc6xvmdTNSZP/0Q=";
-  version = "unstable-2025-08-06";
+  rev = "7bd6f87deb4e8c19b34b42019ba411456ec12c48";
+  sha256 = "sha256-2GLHTVZtVMZpmSx7RloLZKo963ZU+HW5tAM8oewhKe0=";
+  version = "unstable-2025-08-08";
   branch = "staging";
 }