diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index d8d1d98..6d18dc1 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@
 	path = lib/sisyphus
 	url = git@github.com:magit/sisyphus.git
 [submodule "sqlite3"]
+	build-step = make
 	path = lib/sqlite3
 	url = git@github.com:pekingduck/emacs-sqlite3-api.git
 [submodule "transient"]
diff --git a/init.el b/init.el
index 62494f0..4ef4a4f 100644
--- a/init.el
+++ b/init.el
@@ -47,7 +47,12 @@
 (use-package no-littering)
 
 (use-package epkg
-  :defer t)
+  :defer t
+  :init
+  (setq epkg-repository
+        (expand-file-name "var/epkgs/" user-emacs-directory))
+  (setq epkg-database-connector
+        (if (>= emacs-major-version 29) 'sqlite-builtin 'sqlite-module)))
 
 (use-package custom
   :no-require t