diff --git a/install-stage1.sh b/install-stage1.sh
index 0e27ca9..6a32583 100644
--- a/install-stage1.sh
+++ b/install-stage1.sh
@@ -424,6 +424,12 @@ for I in ${!SECTIONS[@]}; do
   for J in ${!OPTIONS[@]}; do
     get_stage2_file "package_selections/${SECTIONS[$I]}/${OPTIONS[$J]}"
   done
+
+  get_stage2_file "package_selections/${SECTIONS[$I]}/additional_files.lst"
+  readarray -t FILES < "$STAGE2_DIR/package_selections/${SECTIONS[$I]}/additional_files.lst"
+  for J in ${!FILES[@]}; do
+    get_stage2_file "package_selections/${SECTIONS[$I]}/${FILES[$J]}"
+  done
 done
 
 mv /mnt/target/etc/sv/agetty-tty1/conf /mnt/target/etc/sv/agetty-tty1/conf.bak >> $LOGFILE 2>&1
diff --git a/notes_to_self.txt b/notes_to_self.txt
index d72d3eb..37d4ddf 100644
--- a/notes_to_self.txt
+++ b/notes_to_self.txt
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ add online check to all the selections that need internet
 sort out /etc/resolv.conf for the chroot
 set keyboard layout for initramfs
 need some sort of notification handler?
-add a way to provide additional files to package selections
 replace package selections with these options:
   nvidia
     keep the old selections
diff --git a/package_selections/desktop/additional_files.lst b/package_selections/desktop/additional_files.lst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14164d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package_selections/desktop/additional_files.lst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+resources/common_packages
diff --git a/package_selections/desktop/resources/common_packages b/package_selections/desktop/resources/common_packages
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e800aad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package_selections/desktop/resources/common_packages
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+setxkbmap xauth xorg-video-drivers mesa mesa-dri xorg-server elogind xorg-input-drivers xrandr acpilight xhost xinit xrdb xinput xgamma xset iceauth sessreg transset xcmsdb xkbutils xmodmap dejavu-fonts-ttf elogind xdg-utils dbus-elogind dbus-elogind-libs dbus-elogind-x11 pipewire
diff --git a/package_selections/nvidia/additional_files.lst b/package_selections/nvidia/additional_files.lst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29