diff --git a/build.conf.nix b/build.conf.nix
index de251e4..442c650 100644
--- a/build.conf.nix
+++ b/build.conf.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 with builtins;
 {
-  wm = "i3";
+  wm = "plasma";
 
   # very, very non-exhaustive of course
   is-x11     = wm: elem wm ["plasma" "xmonad" "i3"];
diff --git a/configuration.nix b/configuration.nix
index 9c633a2..4d0dde4 100644
--- a/configuration.nix
+++ b/configuration.nix
@@ -67,9 +67,15 @@ in
     desktopManager = {
       plasma5.enable = conf.wm == "plasma";
       xterm.enable = false;
+      xfce = if conf.wm == "i3" then {
+        enable = true;
+        noDesktop = true;
+        enableXfwm = false;
+      } else {};
     };
     displayManager = {
       sddm.enable = conf.wm == "plasma" || conf.wm == "xmonad";
+      defaultSession = if conf.wm == "i3" then "xfce+i3" else null;
     };
     windowManager = {
       i3 = if conf.wm == "i3" then {