diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome.nix b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome.nix
index a5c7cb16b9d..ce8f2548a5a 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome.nix
@@ -307,10 +307,9 @@ in
         gnome-flashback
       ] ++ map gnome-flashback.mkSystemdTargetForWm flashbackWms;
 
-      # gnome-panel needs these for menu applet
-      environment.sessionVariables.XDG_DATA_DIRS = [ "${pkgs.gnome.gnome-flashback}/share" ];
-      # TODO: switch to sessionVariables (resolve conflict)
-      environment.variables.XDG_CONFIG_DIRS = [ "${pkgs.gnome.gnome-flashback}/etc/xdg" ];
+      environment.systemPackages = with pkgs.gnome; [
+        gnome-flashback
+      ];
     })
 
     (mkIf serviceCfg.core-os-services.enable {
diff --git a/nixos/tests/gnome-flashback.nix b/nixos/tests/gnome-flashback.nix
index 876d36477c1..3e59e3fc034 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/gnome-flashback.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/gnome-flashback.nix
@@ -49,9 +49,10 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, lib, ...} : {
           assert "alice" in machine.succeed("getfacl -p /dev/snd/timer")
 
       with subtest("Wait for Metacity"):
-          machine.wait_until_succeeds(
-              "pgrep metacity"
-          )
+          machine.wait_until_succeeds("pgrep metacity")
+
+      with subtest("Regression test for #233920"):
+          machine.wait_until_succeeds("pgrep -fa gnome-flashback-media-keys")
           machine.sleep(20)
           machine.screenshot("screen")
     '';