diff --git a/machines/gerd.nix b/machines/gerd.nix
index 3d23141..3a5adc1 100644
--- a/machines/gerd.nix
+++ b/machines/gerd.nix
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@
     ./gerd/services/searx.nix
     ./gerd/services/miniflux.nix
 
-    ./gerd/services/matrix
+    ./gerd/services/element.nix
+    ./gerd/services/matrix-synapse.nix
 
     ./gerd/services/uptime-kuma.nix
 
diff --git a/machines/gerd/services/matrix/element.nix b/machines/gerd/services/element.nix
similarity index 100%
rename from machines/gerd/services/matrix/element.nix
rename to machines/gerd/services/element.nix
diff --git a/machines/gerd/services/matrix/matrix-synapse.nix b/machines/gerd/services/matrix-synapse.nix
similarity index 97%
rename from machines/gerd/services/matrix/matrix-synapse.nix
rename to machines/gerd/services/matrix-synapse.nix
index 90e4fbf..acdb7e1 100644
--- a/machines/gerd/services/matrix/matrix-synapse.nix
+++ b/machines/gerd/services/matrix-synapse.nix
@@ -74,12 +74,6 @@ in {
         allowed_lifetime_min = "1d";
         allowed_lifetime_max = "1y";
       };
-
-
-      # automatically forget room on leave/kick/ban, and
-      # purge from db after X time
-     forget_rooms_on_leave = true;
-     forgotten_room_retention_period = "28d";
     };
   };
 
diff --git a/machines/gerd/services/matrix/default.nix b/machines/gerd/services/matrix/default.nix
deleted file mode 100644
index f76b41f..0000000
--- a/machines/gerd/services/matrix/default.nix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,7 +0,0 @@
-{
-  imports = [
-    ./matrix-synapse.nix
-    ./element.nix
-    ./housecleaning.nix
-  ];
-}
diff --git a/machines/gerd/services/matrix/housecleaning.nix b/machines/gerd/services/matrix/housecleaning.nix
deleted file mode 100644
index e1cc434..0000000
--- a/machines/gerd/services/matrix/housecleaning.nix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-{ config, pkgs, ... }:
-
-{
-  # delete empty directories 
-  # - https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/7690
-  # - https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7690
-  systemd.services.matrix-synapse.preStart =
-    ''${pkgs.findutils}/bin/find ${config.services.matrix-synapse.dataDir}/media_store -empty -type d -delete'';
-
-  systemd.timers."matrix-synapse-housecleaning-empty-dirs" = {
-    wantedBy = [ "timers.target" ];
-    timerConfig = {
-      OnCalendar = "Mon *-*-* 04:00:00";
-      Unit = config.systemd.services.matrix-synapse.name;
-    };
-  };
-
-  # vacuum database
-  systemd.services."matrix-synapse-psql-vacuum" = let
-    psqlUser = config.systemd.services.postgresql.serviceConfig.User;
-    dbName = config.services.matrix-synapse.settings.database.args.database;
-  in {
-    serviceConfig = {
-      User = psqlUser;
-      ExecStart = pkgs.writeScript "matrix-synapse-psql-vacuum.sh" ''
-        ${config.services.postgresql.package}/bin/psql -d ${dbName} -c "vacuum full"
-      '';
-    };
-  };
-
-  systemd.timers."matrix-synapse-housecleaning-vacuum-db" = {
-    wantedBy = [ "timers.target" ];
-    timerConfig = {
-      OnCalendar = "Mon *-*-* 04:00:00";
-      Unit = config.systemd.services.matrix-synapse-psql-vacuum.name;
-    };
-  };
-}