diff --git a/nixos/tests/gnome-xorg.nix b/nixos/tests/gnome-xorg.nix
index 55f9c90c20a08..b9ff5e6828758 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/gnome-xorg.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/gnome-xorg.nix
@@ -25,6 +25,21 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, lib, ...} : {
       services.xserver.desktopManager.gnome.debug = true;
       services.xserver.displayManager.defaultSession = "gnome-xorg";
 
+      systemd.user.services = {
+        "org.gnome.Shell@x11" = {
+          serviceConfig = {
+            ExecStart = [
+              # Clear the list before overriding it.
+              ""
+              # Eval API is now internal so Shell needs to run in unsafe mode.
+              # TODO: improve test driver so that it supports openqa-like manipulation
+              # that would allow us to drop this mess.
+              "${pkgs.gnome.gnome-shell}/bin/gnome-shell --unsafe-mode"
+            ];
+          };
+        };
+      };
+
       virtualisation.memorySize = 1024;
     };
 
diff --git a/nixos/tests/gnome.nix b/nixos/tests/gnome.nix
index e8d18a41bd064..1da97f733cfd8 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/gnome.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/gnome.nix
@@ -30,6 +30,21 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, lib, ...} : {
         })
       ];
 
+      systemd.user.services = {
+        "org.gnome.Shell@wayland" = {
+          serviceConfig = {
+            ExecStart = [
+              # Clear the list before overriding it.
+              ""
+              # Eval API is now internal so Shell needs to run in unsafe mode.
+              # TODO: improve test driver so that it supports openqa-like manipulation
+              # that would allow us to drop this mess.
+              "${pkgs.gnome.gnome-shell}/bin/gnome-shell --unsafe-mode"
+            ];
+          };
+        };
+      };
+
       virtualisation.memorySize = 1024;
     };