diff --git a/pkgs/nomarchy-install/nomarchy-install.sh b/pkgs/nomarchy-install/nomarchy-install.sh
index de0e730..8ea40b6 100644
--- a/pkgs/nomarchy-install/nomarchy-install.sh
+++ b/pkgs/nomarchy-install/nomarchy-install.sh
@@ -477,7 +477,16 @@ out=\$(nix --extra-experimental-features "nix-command flakes" \
     "path:/home/$USERNAME/.nomarchy#homeConfigurations.$USERNAME.activationPackage")
 install -d -o "$USERNAME" -g users /nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/$USERNAME
 install -d -o "$USERNAME" -g users /nix/var/nix/gcroots/per-user/$USERNAME
-runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- bash -lc "USER=$USERNAME HOME=/home/$USERNAME \$out/activate"
+# activate's profile ops need store access; as the user that means a
+# daemon, and the chroot has none — run one for the duration.
+nix-daemon &
+daemon_pid=\$!
+trap 'kill \$daemon_pid 2>/dev/null || true' EXIT
+sleep 2
+# BACKUP_EXT: collisions can't abort the activation (a stray
+# autogenerated config gets moved aside instead).
+runuser -u "$USERNAME" -- bash -lc \
+    "USER=$USERNAME HOME=/home/$USERNAME NIX_REMOTE=daemon HOME_MANAGER_BACKUP_EXT=bak \$out/activate"
 EOF
 if nixos-enter --root /mnt -- bash /root/nomarchy-hm-activate.sh; then
     success "Desktop pre-activated — first boot is fully themed"