diff --git a/overlays/cross.nix b/overlays/cross.nix
index 3b4c09f6..46d7ac9b 100644
--- a/overlays/cross.nix
+++ b/overlays/cross.nix
@@ -7,14 +7,13 @@
 #   - portfolio -> {glib,cairo,pygobject}-dev
 #   - komikku -> python3.10-brotlicffi -> python3.10-cffi
 #   - many others. python3.10-cffi seems to be the offender which infects 70% of consumers though
+# - 2023/10/10: moreutils pulls in unnecessarily many emulated deps
 # - 2023/10/11: build binutils-wrapper is pulled in by `dtrx`
 #   - nix why-depends --all /nix/store/rhli8vhscv93ikb43639c2ysy3a6dmzp-nixos-system-moby-23.11.20231011.30c7fd8 /nix/store/akma6vck7rikb4ckzmys4gxkjs0jxin5-binutils-wrapper-2.40
 # - 2023/10/11: build perl is pulled in by `enchant` & its many consumers:
 #   - nix why-depends --all /nix/store/rhli8vhscv93ikb43639c2ysy3a6dmzp-nixos-system-moby-23.11.20231011.30c7fd8 /nix/store/2j7b1ngdvqd0bidb6bn9icskwm6sq63v-perl-5.38.0
 # - 2023/10/11: build ruby is pulled in by `neovim`:
 #   - nix why-depends --all /nix/store/rhli8vhscv93ikb43639c2ysy3a6dmzp-nixos-system-moby-23.11.20231011.30c7fd8 /nix/store/5xbwwbyjmc1xvjzhghk6r89rn4ylidv8-ruby-3.1.4
-# - 2023/10/11: build diffutils is pulled in by `snapper`:
-#   - nix why-depends --all /nix/store/rhli8vhscv93ikb43639c2ysy3a6dmzp-nixos-system-moby-23.11.20231011.30c7fd8 /nix/store/q56n7lhjw724i7b33qaqra61p7m7c0cd-diffutils-3.10
 #
 # upstreaming status:
 #
@@ -1755,6 +1754,16 @@ in {
   #   inherit (emulated) stdenv;
   # };
 
+  snapper = prev.snapper.overrideAttrs (upstream: {
+    # replace references to build diff/rm to runtime diff/rm
+    # also reduces closure 305628736 -> 262698112
+    configureFlags = (upstream.configureFlags or []) ++ [
+      "DIFFBIN=${final.diffutils}/bin/diff"
+      "RMBIN=${final.coreutils}/bin/rm"
+    ];
+    # strictDeps = true;  #< doesn't actually prevent original symptom
+  });
+
   spandsp = prev.spandsp.overrideAttrs (upstream: {
     configureFlags = upstream.configureFlags or [] ++ [
       # fixes runtime error: "undefined symbol: rpl_realloc"