diff --git a/nixos/xmonad.nix b/nixos/xmonad.nix
index 69bbae8d..594c7ba7 100644
--- a/nixos/xmonad.nix
+++ b/nixos/xmonad.nix
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ makeEnable config "myModules.xmonad" true  {
 
     # Spring physics animations config - written separately because home-manager
     # generates [] (arrays) but picom needs () (lists) for animations
+    # Use @include directive in main config to include this
     xdg.configFile."picom/animations.conf".text = ''
       # Spring physics animations (mainline picom with spring-physics branch)
       # Syntax: spring(stiffness, dampening, mass) or spring(stiffness, dampening, mass, clamping)
@@ -205,10 +206,18 @@ makeEnable config "myModules.xmonad" true  {
       );
     '';
 
-    # Override picom service to include animations config
-    # Use %h for home directory since XDG_CONFIG_HOME may not be set
+    # Wrapper config that includes both home-manager generated config and animations
+    # This works around picom not supporting multiple --config flags
+    xdg.configFile."picom/picom-with-animations.conf".text = ''
+      # Include home-manager generated base config
+      @include "picom.conf"
+      # Include spring physics animations (uses () list syntax)
+      @include "animations.conf"
+    '';
+
+    # Override picom service to use our wrapper config
     systemd.user.services.picom = {
-      Service.ExecStart = pkgs.lib.mkForce "${pkgs.picom}/bin/picom --config %h/.config/picom/picom.conf --config %h/.config/picom/animations.conf";
+      Service.ExecStart = pkgs.lib.mkForce "${pkgs.picom}/bin/picom --config %h/.config/picom/picom-with-animations.conf";
     };
 
     # systemd.user.services.notifications-tray-icon = {