diff --git a/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-gnome.nix b/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-gnome.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5725938465f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-gnome.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+# This module defines a NixOS installation CD that contains X11 and
+# GNOME 3.
+
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+with lib;
+
+{
+  imports = [ ./installation-cd-base.nix ];
+
+  services.xserver = {
+    enable = true;
+    # GDM doesn't start in virtual machines with ISO
+    displayManager.slim = {
+      enable = true;
+      defaultUser = "root";
+      autoLogin = true;
+    };
+    desktopManager.gnome3 = {
+      enable = true;
+      extraGSettingsOverrides = ''
+        [org.gnome.desktop.background]
+        show-desktop-icons=true
+
+        [org.gnome.nautilus.desktop]
+        trash-icon-visible=false
+        volumes-visible=false
+        home-icon-visible=false
+        network-icon-visible=false
+      '';
+
+      extraGSettingsOverridePackages = [ pkgs.gnome3.nautilus ];
+    };
+  };
+
+  environment.systemPackages =
+    [ # Include gparted for partitioning disks.
+      pkgs.gparted
+
+      # Include some editors.
+      pkgs.vim
+      pkgs.bvi # binary editor
+      pkgs.joe
+
+      pkgs.glxinfo
+    ];
+
+  # Don't start the X server by default.
+  services.xserver.autorun = mkForce false;
+
+  # Auto-login as root.
+  services.xserver.displayManager.gdm.autoLogin = {
+    enable = true;
+    user = "root";
+  };
+
+  system.activationScripts.installerDesktop = let
+    # Must be executable
+    desktopFile = pkgs.writeScript "nixos-manual.desktop" ''
+      [Desktop Entry]
+      Version=1.0
+      Type=Link
+      Name=NixOS Manual
+      URL=${config.system.build.manual.manual}/share/doc/nixos/index.html
+      Icon=system-help
+    '';
+
+  # use cp and chmod +x, we must be sure the apps are in the nix store though
+  in ''
+    mkdir -p /root/Desktop
+    ln -sfT ${desktopFile} /root/Desktop/nixos-manual.desktop
+    cp ${pkgs.gnome3.gnome_terminal}/share/applications/gnome-terminal.desktop /root/Desktop/gnome-terminal.desktop
+    chmod a+rx /root/Desktop/gnome-terminal.desktop
+    cp ${pkgs.gparted}/share/applications/gparted.desktop /root/Desktop/gparted.desktop
+    chmod a+rx /root/Desktop/gparted.desktop
+  '';
+
+}
diff --git a/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-new-kernel.nix b/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-kde-new-kernel.nix
similarity index 60%
rename from nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-new-kernel.nix
rename to nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-kde-new-kernel.nix
index 506b9292b01e..a4bcd7079a4f 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-new-kernel.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-kde-new-kernel.nix
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 { config, pkgs, ... }:
 
 {
-  imports = [ ./installation-cd-graphical.nix ];
+  imports = [ ./installation-cd-graphical-kde.nix ];
 
   boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.linuxPackages_latest;
 }
diff --git a/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical.nix b/nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-kde.nix
similarity index 100%
rename from nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical.nix
rename to nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-kde.nix
diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome3.nix b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome3.nix
index 4dd631d87511..be7700424bc6 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome3.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/x11/desktop-managers/gnome3.nix
@@ -27,19 +27,24 @@ let
 
   nixos-gsettings-desktop-schemas = pkgs.stdenv.mkDerivation {
     name = "nixos-gsettings-desktop-schemas";
-    buildInputs = [ pkgs.nixos-artwork ];
     buildCommand = ''
-     mkdir -p $out/share/nixos-gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-desktop-schemas
-     cp -rf ${gnome3.gsettings_desktop_schemas}/share/gsettings-schemas/gsettings-desktop-schemas*/glib-2.0 $out/share/nixos-gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-desktop-schemas/
-     chmod -R a+w $out/share/nixos-gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-desktop-schemas
-     cat - > $out/share/nixos-gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-desktop-schemas/glib-2.0/schemas/nixos-defaults.gschema.override <<- EOF
+     mkdir -p $out/share/gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-overrides/glib-2.0/schemas
+     cp -rf ${gnome3.gsettings_desktop_schemas}/share/gsettings-schemas/gsettings-desktop-schemas*/glib-2.0/schemas/*.xml $out/share/gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-overrides/glib-2.0/schemas
+
+     ${concatMapStrings (pkg: "cp -rf ${pkg}/share/gsettings-schemas/*/glib-2.0/schemas/*.xml $out/share/gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-overrides/glib-2.0/schemas\n") cfg.extraGSettingsOverridePackages}
+
+     chmod -R a+w $out/share/gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-overrides
+     cat - > $out/share/gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-overrides/glib-2.0/schemas/nixos-defaults.gschema.override <<- EOF
        [org.gnome.desktop.background]
        picture-uri='${pkgs.nixos-artwork}/share/artwork/gnome/Gnome_Dark.png'
 
        [org.gnome.desktop.screensaver]
        picture-uri='${pkgs.nixos-artwork}/share/artwork/gnome/Gnome_Dark.png'
+
+       ${cfg.extraGSettingsOverrides}
      EOF
-     ${pkgs.glib}/bin/glib-compile-schemas $out/share/nixos-gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-desktop-schemas/glib-2.0/schemas/
+
+     ${pkgs.glib}/bin/glib-compile-schemas $out/share/gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-overrides/glib-2.0/schemas/
     '';
   };
 
@@ -47,19 +52,33 @@ in {
 
   options = {
 
-    services.xserver.desktopManager.gnome3.enable = mkOption {
-      default = false;
-      example = true;
-      description = "Enable Gnome 3 desktop manager.";
-    };
+    services.xserver.desktopManager.gnome3 = {
+      enable = mkOption {
+        default = false;
+        example = true;
+        description = "Enable Gnome 3 desktop manager.";
+      };
 
-    services.xserver.desktopManager.gnome3.sessionPath = mkOption {
-      default = [];
-      example = literalExample "[ pkgs.gnome3.gpaste ]";
-      description = "Additional list of packages to be added to the session search path.
-                     Useful for gnome shell extensions or gsettings-conditionated autostart.";
-      apply = list: list ++ [ gnome3.gnome_shell gnome3.gnome-shell-extensions ];
-    };
+      sessionPath = mkOption {
+        default = [];
+        example = literalExample "[ pkgs.gnome3.gpaste ]";
+        description = "Additional list of packages to be added to the session search path.
+                       Useful for gnome shell extensions or gsettings-conditionated autostart.";
+        apply = list: list ++ [ gnome3.gnome_shell gnome3.gnome-shell-extensions ];
+      };
+
+      extraGSettingsOverrides = mkOption {
+        default = "";
+        type = types.lines;
+        description = "Additional gsettings overrides.";
+      };
+
+      extraGSettingsOverridePackages = mkOption {
+        default = [];
+        type = types.listOf types.path;
+        description = "List of packages for which gsettings are overridden.";
+      };
+    };  
 
     environment.gnome3.packageSet = mkOption {
       type = types.nullOr types.package;
@@ -130,7 +149,7 @@ in {
           export XDG_DATA_DIRS=$XDG_DATA_DIRS''${XDG_DATA_DIRS:+:}${mimeAppsList}/share
 
           # Override gsettings-desktop-schema
-          export XDG_DATA_DIRS=${nixos-gsettings-desktop-schemas}/share/nixos-gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-desktop-schemas''${XDG_DATA_DIRS:+:}$XDG_DATA_DIRS
+          export XDG_DATA_DIRS=${nixos-gsettings-desktop-schemas}/share/gsettings-schemas/nixos-gsettings-overrides''${XDG_DATA_DIRS:+:}$XDG_DATA_DIRS
 
           # Let nautilus find extensions
           export NAUTILUS_EXTENSION_DIR=${config.system.path}/lib/nautilus/extensions-3.0/
diff --git a/nixos/release.nix b/nixos/release.nix
index 3fa1676c8614..521cae760aef 100644
--- a/nixos/release.nix
+++ b/nixos/release.nix
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ in rec {
   });
 
   iso_graphical = forAllSystems (system: makeIso {
-    module = ./modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical.nix;
+    module = ./modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-kde.nix;
     type = "graphical";
     inherit system;
   });
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/core/gnome-shell/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/core/gnome-shell/default.nix
index 899efc5443bb..11d78cd61328 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/core/gnome-shell/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/core/gnome-shell/default.nix
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
       --prefix PATH : "${unzip}/bin" \
       --prefix GI_TYPELIB_PATH : "$GI_TYPELIB_PATH" \
       --set GDK_PIXBUF_MODULE_FILE "$GDK_PIXBUF_MODULE_FILE" \
-      --suffix XDG_DATA_DIRS : "${gnome_themes_standard}/share:$out/share:$XDG_ICON_DIRS:$GSETTINGS_SCHEMAS_PATH"
+      --prefix XDG_DATA_DIRS : "${gnome_themes_standard}/share:$out/share:$XDG_ICON_DIRS" \
+      --suffix XDG_DATA_DIRS : "$GSETTINGS_SCHEMAS_PATH"
 
     wrapProgram "$out/libexec/gnome-shell-calendar-server" \
       --prefix XDG_DATA_DIRS : "${evolution_data_server}/share:$out/share:$XDG_ICON_DIRS:$GSETTINGS_SCHEMAS_PATH"
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/core/nautilus/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/core/nautilus/default.nix
index f28e86d7bad0..ff9f847d3cdd 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/core/nautilus/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/core/nautilus/default.nix
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation rec {
     wrapProgram "$out/bin/nautilus" \
       --prefix GI_TYPELIB_PATH : "$GI_TYPELIB_PATH" \
       --set GDK_PIXBUF_MODULE_FILE "$GDK_PIXBUF_MODULE_FILE" \
-      --prefix XDG_DATA_DIRS : "$XDG_ICON_DIRS:$out/share:$GSETTINGS_SCHEMAS_PATH"
+      --prefix XDG_DATA_DIRS : "$XDG_ICON_DIRS:$out/share" \
+      --suffix XDG_DATA_DIRS : "$GSETTINGS_SCHEMAS_PATH"
   '';
 
   patches = [ ./extension_dir.patch ];
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/default.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/default.nix
index f949eb1b2085..8234d21f39e9 100644
--- a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/default.nix
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ let
 # Simplify the nixos module and gnome packages
   defaultIconTheme = adwaita-icon-theme;
 
+# ISO installer
+  installerIso = callPackage ./installer.nix {};
+
 #### Core (http://ftp.acc.umu.se/pub/GNOME/core/)
 
   adwaita-icon-theme = callPackage ./core/adwaita-icon-theme { };
diff --git a/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/installer.nix b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/installer.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e4d64ac9e885
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/desktops/gnome-3/3.18/installer.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{ isoBaseName ? "nixos-graphical-gnome", system ? builtins.currentSystem
+, extraModules ? [] }:
+    
+let
+
+  module = ../../../../nixos/modules/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-gnome.nix;
+
+  config = (import ../../../../nixos/lib/eval-config.nix {
+    inherit system;
+    modules = [ module { isoImage.isoBaseName = isoBaseName; } ] ++ extraModules;
+  }).config;
+
+in
+  config.system.build.isoImage
+