diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/xfce.chapter.md b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/xfce.chapter.md
index b0ef6682aae8..ee60d465e3b3 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/xfce.chapter.md
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/configuration/xfce.chapter.md
@@ -24,11 +24,16 @@ Some Xfce programs are not installed automatically. To install them
 manually (system wide), put them into your
 [](#opt-environment.systemPackages) from `pkgs.xfce`.
 
-## Thunar Plugins {#sec-xfce-thunar-plugins .unnumbered}
+## Thunar {#sec-xfce-thunar-plugins .unnumbered}
+
+Thunar (the Xfce file manager) is automatically enabled when Xfce is
+enabled. To enable Thunar without enabling Xfce, use the configuration
+option [](#opt-programs.thunar.enable) instead of simply adding
+`pkgs.xfce.thunar` to [](#opt-environment.systemPackages).
 
 If you\'d like to add extra plugins to Thunar, add them to
-[](#opt-services.xserver.desktopManager.xfce.thunarPlugins).
-You shouldn\'t just add them to [](#opt-environment.systemPackages).
+[](#opt-programs.thunar.plugins). You shouldn\'t just add them to
+[](#opt-environment.systemPackages).
 
 ## Troubleshooting {#sec-xfce-troubleshooting .unnumbered}
 
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/configuration/xfce.chapter.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/configuration/xfce.chapter.xml
index f96ef2e8c483..42e70d1d81d3 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/configuration/xfce.chapter.xml
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/configuration/xfce.chapter.xml
@@ -27,12 +27,18 @@ services.picom = {
     <literal>pkgs.xfce</literal>.
   </para>
   <section xml:id="sec-xfce-thunar-plugins">
-    <title>Thunar Plugins</title>
+    <title>Thunar</title>
+    <para>
+      Thunar (the Xfce file manager) is automatically enabled when Xfce
+      is enabled. To enable Thunar without enabling Xfce, use the
+      configuration option <xref linkend="opt-programs.thunar.enable" />
+      instead of simply adding <literal>pkgs.xfce.thunar</literal> to
+      <xref linkend="opt-environment.systemPackages" />.
+    </para>
     <para>
       If you'd like to add extra plugins to Thunar, add them to
-      <xref linkend="opt-services.xserver.desktopManager.xfce.thunarPlugins" />.
-      You shouldn't just add them to
-      <xref linkend="opt-environment.systemPackages" />.
+      <xref linkend="opt-programs.thunar.plugins" />. You shouldn't just
+      add them to <xref linkend="opt-environment.systemPackages" />.
     </para>
   </section>
   <section xml:id="sec-xfce-troubleshooting">
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/release-notes/rl-2211.section.xml b/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/release-notes/rl-2211.section.xml
index 492df2d828a0..f29f30660be3 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/release-notes/rl-2211.section.xml
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/from_md/release-notes/rl-2211.section.xml
@@ -307,6 +307,18 @@
           as coreboot’s fork is no longer available.
         </para>
       </listitem>
+      <listitem>
+        <para>
+          There is a new module for the <literal>thunar</literal>
+          program (the Xfce file manager), which depends on the
+          <literal>xfconf</literal> dbus service, and also has a dbus
+          service and a systemd unit. The option
+          <literal>services.xserver.desktopManager.xfce.thunarPlugins</literal>
+          has been renamed to
+          <literal>programs.thunar.plugins</literal>, and in a future
+          release it may be removed.
+        </para>
+      </listitem>
     </itemizedlist>
   </section>
 </section>
diff --git a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2211.section.md b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2211.section.md
index 0c5342f729af..89a59edee798 100644
--- a/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2211.section.md
+++ b/nixos/doc/manual/release-notes/rl-2211.section.md
@@ -116,4 +116,6 @@ Use `configure.packages` instead.
 
 - memtest86+ was updated from 5.00-coreboot-002 to 6.00-beta2. It is now the upstream version from https://www.memtest.org/, as coreboot's fork is no longer available.
 
+- There is a new module for the `thunar` program (the Xfce file manager), which depends on the `xfconf` dbus service, and also has a dbus service and a systemd unit. The option `services.xserver.desktopManager.xfce.thunarPlugins` has been renamed to `programs.thunar.plugins`, and in a future release it may be removed.
+
 <!-- To avoid merge conflicts, consider adding your item at an arbitrary place in the list instead. -->
diff --git a/nixos/modules/module-list.nix b/nixos/modules/module-list.nix
index c1e41c8951ca..b757e05edce3 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/module-list.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/module-list.nix
@@ -217,6 +217,7 @@
   ./programs/sway.nix
   ./programs/system-config-printer.nix
   ./programs/thefuck.nix
+  ./programs/thunar.nix
   ./programs/tmux.nix
   ./programs/traceroute.nix
   ./programs/tsm-client.nix
diff --git a/nixos/modules/programs/thunar.nix b/nixos/modules/programs/thunar.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..343f84698672
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/modules/programs/thunar.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+with lib;
+
+let cfg = config.programs.thunar;
+
+in {
+  meta = {
+    maintainers = teams.xfce.members;
+  };
+
+  options = {
+    programs.thunar = {
+      enable = mkEnableOption "Thunar, the Xfce file manager";
+
+      plugins = mkOption {
+        default = [];
+        type = types.listOf types.package;
+        description = "List of thunar plugins to install.";
+        example = literalExpression "with pkgs.xfce; [ thunar-archive-plugin thunar-volman ]";
+      };
+
+    };
+  };
+
+  config = mkIf cfg.enable (
+    let package = pkgs.xfce.thunar.override { thunarPlugins = cfg.plugins; };
+
+    in {
+      environment.systemPackages = [
+        package
+      ];
+
+      services.dbus.packages = [
+        package
+        pkgs.xfce.xfconf
+      ];
+
+      systemd.packages = [
+        package
+      ];
+    }
+  );
+}
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/xfce.nix b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/xfce.nix
index 88b21e59aaa6..3c2dac386f5d 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/xfce.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/xfce.nix
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ in
       [ "services" "xserver" "desktopManager" "xfce" "extraSessionCommands" ]
       [ "services" "xserver" "displayManager" "sessionCommands" ])
     (mkRemovedOptionModule [ "services" "xserver" "desktopManager" "xfce" "screenLock" ] "")
+
+    # added 2022-06-26
+    # thunar has its own module
+    (mkRenamedOptionModule
+      [ "services" "xserver" "desktopManager" "xfce" "thunarPlugins" ]
+      [ "programs" "thunar" "plugins" ])
   ];
 
   options = {
@@ -46,15 +52,6 @@ in
         description = "Enable the Xfce desktop environment.";
       };
 
-      thunarPlugins = mkOption {
-        default = [];
-        type = types.listOf types.package;
-        example = literalExpression "[ pkgs.xfce.thunar-archive-plugin ]";
-        description = ''
-          A list of plugin that should be installed with Thunar.
-        '';
-      };
-
       noDesktop = mkOption {
         type = types.bool;
         default = false;
@@ -110,8 +107,6 @@ in
       xfce4-settings
       xfce4-taskmanager
       xfce4-terminal
-
-      (thunar.override { thunarPlugins = cfg.thunarPlugins; })
     ] # TODO: NetworkManager doesn't belong here
       ++ optional config.networking.networkmanager.enable networkmanagerapplet
       ++ optional config.powerManagement.enable xfce4-power-manager
@@ -130,6 +125,8 @@ in
         xfdesktop
       ] ++ optional cfg.enableScreensaver xfce4-screensaver;
 
+    programs.thunar.enable = true;
+
     environment.pathsToLink = [
       "/share/xfce4"
       "/lib/xfce4"
@@ -170,7 +167,6 @@ in
 
     # Systemd services
     systemd.packages = with pkgs.xfce; [
-      (thunar.override { thunarPlugins = cfg.thunarPlugins; })
       xfce4-notifyd
     ];