diff --git a/home-manager/common/features/cli/ghostty.nix b/home-manager/common/features/cli/ghostty.nix
index 14962a7..12950df 100644
--- a/home-manager/common/features/cli/ghostty.nix
+++ b/home-manager/common/features/cli/ghostty.nix
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@
     clipboard-trim-trailing-spaces = true
     copy-on-select = true
 
-    # use default fonts for now because the custom fonts render symbols too small
+    # use 'fallback' nerdfont symbols font to make default fonts for now because the custom fonts render symbols too small
     # see https://github.com/ghostty-org/ghostty/discussions/3501
+    font-family = "Monaspace Neon"
+    font-family = "Symbols Nerd Font Mono"
+
     # font-family = "MonaspiceNe NFM"
     # font-family-bold = "MonaspiceNe NFM Bold"
     # font-family-bold-italic = "MonaspiceRn NFM Bold Italic"
diff --git a/hosts/common/darwin/defaults.nix b/hosts/common/darwin/defaults.nix
index 505177a..1c22d7d 100644
--- a/hosts/common/darwin/defaults.nix
+++ b/hosts/common/darwin/defaults.nix
@@ -70,8 +70,9 @@
 
   # add nerd fonts
   fonts.packages = [
-    pkgs-unstable.nerd-fonts.hack
+    pkgs-unstable.monaspace
     pkgs-unstable.nerd-fonts.monaspace
+    pkgs-unstable.nerd-fonts.symbols-only
   ];
 
   system.keyboard = {