diff --git a/hosts/common/programs/default.nix b/hosts/common/programs/default.nix
index abb2c185..e98e9e79 100644
--- a/hosts/common/programs/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/common/programs/default.nix
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     ./fractal.nix
     ./fwupd.nix
     ./g4music.nix
+    ./gajim.nix
     ./git.nix
     ./gnome-feeds.nix
     ./gnome-keyring.nix
diff --git a/hosts/common/programs/gajim.nix b/hosts/common/programs/gajim.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d750e827
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hosts/common/programs/gajim.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{ ... }:
+{
+  sane.programs.gajim = {
+    persist.private = [
+      # avatars, thumbnails...
+      ".cache/gajim"
+      # sqlite database labeled "settings". definitely includes UI theming
+      ".config/gajim"
+      # omemo keys, downloads, logs
+      ".local/share/gajim"
+    ];
+  };
+}
diff --git a/hosts/modules/gui/default.nix b/hosts/modules/gui/default.nix
index 4641a4be..bec85a13 100644
--- a/hosts/modules/gui/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/modules/gui/default.nix
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
       "electrum"
       "element-desktop"
       # "font-manager"  #< depends on webkitgtk4_0 (expensive to build)
-      # "gajim"  # XMPP client
+      "gajim"  # XMPP client. cross build tries to import host gobject-introspection types (2023/09/01)
       "gimp"  # broken on phosh
       "gnome.dconf-editor"
       # "gnome.file-roller"