diff --git a/archlinux/PKGBUILD.in b/archlinux/PKGBUILD.in
index 8bffa2a..0b93d12 100644
--- a/archlinux/PKGBUILD.in
+++ b/archlinux/PKGBUILD.in
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ package_qubes-vm-recommended() {
         qubes-vm-networking
         qubes-gpg-split
         qubes-usb-proxy
+    )
+    optdepends=(
         qubes-pdf-converter
     )
 }
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index 5f86ae9..959fd6b 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -31,20 +31,21 @@ Description: Meta package with packages required in Qubes VM
 Package: qubes-vm-recommended
 Architecture: any
 Depends:
-    xfce4-notifyd,
-    ${pulse:Depends},
     qubes-core-agent-dom0-updates,
-    qubes-core-agent-nautilus,
-    qubes-core-agent-network-manager,
     qubes-core-agent-networking,
     qubes-core-agent-passwordless-root,
     qubes-gpg-split,
     qubes-img-converter,
     qubes-input-proxy-sender,
     ${qubessalt:Depends},
-    qubes-pdf-converter,
     qubes-usb-proxy,
     fwupd-qubes-vm,
+Recommends:
+    xfce4-notifyd,
+    ${pulse:Depends},
+    qubes-core-agent-nautilus,
+    qubes-core-agent-network-manager,
+    qubes-pdf-converter,
 Description: Meta package with packages recommended in Qubes VM
  Installing this package is recommended to have full functionality available in
  Qubes VM.
diff --git a/rpm_spec/qubes-vm-meta-packages.spec.in b/rpm_spec/qubes-vm-meta-packages.spec.in
index c6a3086..83ba3c1 100644
--- a/rpm_spec/qubes-vm-meta-packages.spec.in
+++ b/rpm_spec/qubes-vm-meta-packages.spec.in
@@ -31,8 +31,7 @@ This package depends on packages required to be installed in Qubes VM.
 
 %package -n qubes-vm-recommended
 Summary:    Meta package with packages recommended in Qubes VM
-Requires:   xfce4-notifyd
-Requires:   pulseaudio-daemon
+Requires:   desktop-notification-daemon
 Requires:   (pipewire-qubes if pipewire-pulseaudio)
 Requires:   (pulseaudio-qubes if pulseaudio)
 Requires:   qubes-core-agent-dom0-updates
@@ -50,8 +49,10 @@ Requires:   fwupd-qubes-vm
 # qubes-pdf-converter needs python3.7+ currently
 # not fully available
 %if ! (0%{?rhel} && 0%{?rhel} <= 8)
-Requires:   qubes-pdf-converter
+Requires:   (qubes-pdf-converter if nautilus)
 %endif
+Recommends: xfce4-notifyd
+Recommends: pulseaudio-daemon
 
 %description -n qubes-vm-recommended
 Installing this package is recommended to have full functionality available in