diff --git a/pkgs/kde/frameworks/kservice/default.nix b/pkgs/kde/frameworks/kservice/default.nix
index 7451647081e5..c21bab7c8346 100644
--- a/pkgs/kde/frameworks/kservice/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/kde/frameworks/kservice/default.nix
@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@
 mkKdeDerivation {
   pname = "kservice";
 
+  # FIXME(later): upstream
   patches = [
     # follow symlinks when generating sycoca
-    # FIXME(later): upstream
     ./qdiriterator-follow-symlinks.patch
+    # explode less when sycoca is deleted
+    ./handle-sycoca-deletion.patch
   ];
   meta.mainProgram = "kbuildsycoca6";
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/kde/frameworks/kservice/handle-sycoca-deletion.patch b/pkgs/kde/frameworks/kservice/handle-sycoca-deletion.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4eceefba998d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/kde/frameworks/kservice/handle-sycoca-deletion.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+diff --git a/src/sycoca/ksycoca.cpp b/src/sycoca/ksycoca.cpp
+index 981342e6..5940f65f 100644
+--- a/src/sycoca/ksycoca.cpp
++++ b/src/sycoca/ksycoca.cpp
+@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@ KSycoca::KSycoca()
+         connect(d->m_fileWatcher.get(), &KDirWatch::dirty, this, [this]() {
+             d->slotDatabaseChanged();
+         });
++        // NIXPKGS: we sometimes delete sycoca externally
++        connect(d->m_fileWatcher.get(), &KDirWatch::deleted, this, [this]() {
++            d->slotDatabaseChanged();
++        });
+     }
+ }