diff --git a/features/desktop/waybar/default.nix b/features/desktop/waybar/default.nix
index c3bf376..3d55389 100644
--- a/features/desktop/waybar/default.nix
+++ b/features/desktop/waybar/default.nix
@@ -47,7 +47,10 @@ in
     style = lib.mkDefault (builtins.readFile styleFile);
   };
 
-  home.packages = lib.mkDefault (with pkgs; [
+  # Not mkDefault: home.packages is a list other modules set at normal
+  # priority, so a mkDefault def is dropped — leaving font-awesome (waybar's
+  # icon font) uninstalled. Merge it in.
+  home.packages = with pkgs; [
     font-awesome
-  ]);
+  ];
 }
diff --git a/themes/engine/plymouth.nix b/themes/engine/plymouth.nix
index 3ed8b6e..12e27ab 100644
--- a/themes/engine/plymouth.nix
+++ b/themes/engine/plymouth.nix
@@ -70,5 +70,8 @@ in
     theme = lib.mkDefault "nomarchy";
   };
 
-  boot.kernelParams = lib.mkDefault [ "quiet" "splash" "loglevel=3" "rd.systemd.show_status=false" "rd.udev.log_level=3" "udev.log_priority=3" "boot.shell_on_fail" ];
+  # Not mkDefault: kernelParams is a list nixpkgs and other modules add to at
+  # normal priority, so a mkDefault def is dropped — losing the quiet/splash
+  # boot. These params merge with (don't replace) the rest.
+  boot.kernelParams = [ "quiet" "splash" "loglevel=3" "rd.systemd.show_status=false" "rd.udev.log_level=3" "udev.log_priority=3" "boot.shell_on_fail" ];
 }
diff --git a/themes/engine/sddm.nix b/themes/engine/sddm.nix
index eb57ce7..1b114f9 100644
--- a/themes/engine/sddm.nix
+++ b/themes/engine/sddm.nix
@@ -36,7 +36,10 @@ in
     user = lib.mkDefault "nomarchy";
   };
 
-  environment.systemPackages = lib.mkDefault [ nomarchy-sddm-theme ];
+  # Not mkDefault: systemPackages is a list every module contributes to at
+  # normal priority, so a mkDefault def is dropped entirely — leaving the
+  # SDDM theme package uninstalled and the greeter unthemed.
+  environment.systemPackages = [ nomarchy-sddm-theme ];
 
   # Enable Hyprland system-level dependencies
   programs.hyprland = {