diff --git a/hosts/common/programs/gpodder.nix b/hosts/common/programs/gpodder.nix
index 662d24302..4c23568c6 100644
--- a/hosts/common/programs/gpodder.nix
+++ b/hosts/common/programs/gpodder.nix
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ in {
       # - GPODDER_WRITE_LOGS ("yes" or "no")
       # - GPODDER_EXTENSIONS
       # - GPODDER_DISABLE_EXTENSIONS ("yes" or "no")
-      extraMakeWrapperArgs = (base.extraMakeWrapperArgs or []) ++ [
+      makeWrapperArgs = (base.makeWrapperArgs or []) ++ [
         "--set" "GPODDER_HOME" "~/.local/share/gPodder"
         # place downloads in a shared media directory to ensure sandboxed apps can read them
         "--set" "GPODDER_DOWNLOAD_DIR" "~/Videos/gPodder"
diff --git a/pkgs/by-name/gpodder-configured/package.nix b/pkgs/by-name/gpodder-configured/package.nix
index 6e6a57143..f4ae83b7a 100644
--- a/pkgs/by-name/gpodder-configured/package.nix
+++ b/pkgs/by-name/gpodder-configured/package.nix
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@
 
 {
   gpodder,
+  lib,
   listparser,
+  makeShellWrapper,
   static-nix-shell,
-  symlinkJoin,
 }:
 
 let
@@ -21,12 +22,22 @@ let
     };
   };
 in
-# we use a symlinkJoin so that we can inherit the .desktop and icon files from the original gPodder
-(symlinkJoin {
-  name = "${gpodder.pname}-configured";
-  paths = [ gpodder remove-extra ];
+  gpodder.overrideAttrs (upstream: {
+    # use `makeShellWrapper` here so that we can get expansion of env vars like `$HOME`, at runtime
+    nativeBuildInputs = (upstream.nativeBuildInputs or []) ++ [
+      makeShellWrapper
+    ];
 
-  passthru = {
-    inherit gpodder remove-extra;
-  };
-})
+    dontWrapGApps = true;
+    postFixup = (upstream.postFixup or "") + ''
+      # XXX(2025-03-21): splat the makeWrapperArgs here because upstream gpodder specifies
+      # `--suffix PATH ...` all as _one_ argument, but makeShellWrapper requires it to be multiple :(
+      makeWrapperArgs=(''${makeWrapperArgs[*]} "''${gappsWrapperArgs[@]}")
+      # makeWrapperArgs+=("''${gappsWrapperArgs[@]}")
+
+      for f in $out/bin/*; do
+        wrapProgramShell "$f" "''${makeWrapperArgs[@]}"
+      done
+      makeShellWrapper ${lib.getExe remove-extra} "$out/bin/${remove-extra.meta.mainProgram}" "''${makeWrapperArgs[@]}"
+    '';
+  })