diff --git a/recipes/groups/desktop/recipe.toml b/recipes/groups/desktop/recipe.toml
index a6503ae19..3291d890e 100644
--- a/recipes/groups/desktop/recipe.toml
+++ b/recipes/groups/desktop/recipe.toml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ dependencies = [
     "cosmic-icons",
     "cosmic-term",
     "dejavu",
+    "file",
     "freefont",
     "hicolor-icon-theme",
     "installer-gui",
diff --git a/recipes/groups/dev-essential/recipe.toml b/recipes/groups/dev-essential/recipe.toml
index 20d59f843..c0a8c658e 100644
--- a/recipes/groups/dev-essential/recipe.toml
+++ b/recipes/groups/dev-essential/recipe.toml
@@ -7,14 +7,14 @@ dependencies = [
     "gcc13",
     "gcc13.cxx",
     "gnu-grep",
-    "groff",
+    # "groff", #TODO: fix compilation error
     "gawk",
     "file",
     "perl5",
     "python312",
     "ripgrep",
     "lua54",
-    "m4",
+    # "m4",  #TODO: fix compilation error
     "nasm",
     "patch",
     "pkg-config",
diff --git a/recipes/wip/libs/other/m4/recipe.toml b/recipes/wip/libs/other/m4/recipe.toml
index 63b8043b9..1c7872c1c 100644
--- a/recipes/wip/libs/other/m4/recipe.toml
+++ b/recipes/wip/libs/other/m4/recipe.toml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-#TODO not compiled or tested
+#TODO compiler error: port freadahead?
 [source]
-tar = "https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/m4/m4-1.14.21.tar.xz"
+tar = "https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/m4/m4-1.4.19.tar.xz"
 [build]
 template = "configure"