diff --git a/clusters/base/apps/homeassistant/helmrelease.yaml b/clusters/base/apps/homeassistant/helmrelease.yaml
index 1862b48..1661e54 100644
--- a/clusters/base/apps/homeassistant/helmrelease.yaml
+++ b/clusters/base/apps/homeassistant/helmrelease.yaml
@@ -69,10 +69,10 @@ spec:
     persistence:
       config:
         type: persistentVolumeClaim
-        accessMode: ReadWriteOnce
-        size: 10Gi
-        storageClass: longhorn
-        retain: true
+        # app-template names a lone PVC "<release>" but "<release>-<key>" once
+        # there are several; adding `media` renamed it and HA came up on an
+        # empty volume. Pin the original claim that holds the real config.
+        existingClaim: homeassistant
         globalMounts:
           - path: /config
       media: