diff --git a/lib/images/macos/templates/profile/default.nix b/lib/images/macos/templates/profile/default.nix
index f9c952e..fa663c2 100644
--- a/lib/images/macos/templates/profile/default.nix
+++ b/lib/images/macos/templates/profile/default.nix
@@ -36,12 +36,16 @@ rec {
       D com.apple.widgets widgetAppearance -int 0
       ''}
       ${lib.optionalString (wallpaper != null) ''
-      W="/Library/Desktop Pictures/vmix-wallpaper.${lib.last (lib.splitString "." (baseNameOf (toString wallpaper)))}"
-      mkdir -p "/Library/Desktop Pictures"; cp "$V/wallpaper".* "$W"; chmod 644 "$W"
+      # WallpaperAgent only keeps choices whose file lives in the user's own space
+      # ("No files include in the descriptor" for /Library/Desktop Pictures)
+      HP="$H/Pictures"; mkdir -p "$HP"
+      W="$HP/vmix-wallpaper.${lib.last (lib.splitString "." (baseNameOf (toString wallpaper)))}"
+      cp "$V/wallpaper".* "$W"; chown "$CONSOLE_USER" "$HP" "$W"; chmod 644 "$W"
       installer -pkg "$V/desktoppr.pkg" -target / >/dev/null || echo "vmix: WARNING: desktoppr install failed"
       as_user /usr/local/bin/desktoppr "$W" || echo "vmix: WARNING: could not set the wallpaper"
-      # the wallpaper store is written asynchronously; give it time before the shutdown
-      sleep 15
+      # the wallpaper store (~/Library/Application Support/com.apple.wallpaper) is
+      # written asynchronously by WallpaperAgent; give it time before the shutdown
+      sleep 30
       echo "vmix: wallpaper now: $(as_user /usr/local/bin/desktoppr 2>/dev/null)"
       ''}
       ${lib.optionalString (dockApps != null) ''