diff --git a/.githooks/post-commit b/.githooks/post-commit
index 467799bd..9054c0e1 100755
--- a/.githooks/post-commit
+++ b/.githooks/post-commit
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/sh
 
-FILE=.links.temp-disabled.yaml
-if test -f "$FILE"; then
+FILE=.links.cjs
+FILE_DIS=.links.temp-disabled.cjs
+if test -f "$FILE_DIS"; then
   # Only do the post-commit hook if the file was temp-disabled by the pre-commit hook.
   # Otherwise linking was actively (`yarn links:disable`) disabled and this hook should noop.
-  mv .links.temp-disabled.yaml .links.yaml
+  mv $FILE_DIS $FILE
   yarnLog=$(yarn)
-  echo "[yarn-linker] The post-commit hook has re-enabled .links.yaml."
+  echo "[yarn-linker] The post-commit hook has re-enabled $FILE"
   exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/.githooks/pre-commit b/.githooks/pre-commit
index 435d75f1..6d8d26b0 100755
--- a/.githooks/pre-commit
+++ b/.githooks/pre-commit
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 #!/usr/bin/sh
 
-FILE=".links.yaml"
+FILE=.links.cjs
+FILE_DIS=.links.temp-disabled.cjs
 if test -f "$FILE"; then
-  mv .links.yaml .links.temp-disabled.yaml
+  mv $FILE .links.temp-disabled.cjs
   # echo "running yarn"
-  x=$(yarn)
-  y=$(git add yarn.lock)
-  echo "[yarn-linker] The pre-commit hook has disabled .links.yaml and MODIFIED the yarn.lock file. Review the staged changes (the hook added yarn.lock, was this desired?) and run \`git commit \` again if they look okay. The post-commit hook will re-enable your links."
+  x=$(pnpm install)
+  y=$(git add pnpm-lock.yaml)
+  echo "[yarn-linker] The pre-commit hook has disabled $FILE and MODIFIED the pnpm-lock.yaml file. Review the staged changes (the hook added pnpm-lock.yaml, was this desired?) and run \`git commit \` again if they look okay. The post-commit hook will re-enable your links."
   exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2b6fab8e..e9225072 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -21,9 +21,14 @@ yarn-error.log
 !/.yarn/releases
 !/.yarn/sdks
 !/.yarn/versions
+# old yarn based linking
 /.links.yaml
 /.links.disabled.yaml
 /.links.temp-disabled.yaml
+# pnpm based linking
+/.links.cjs
+/.links.disabled.cjs
+/.links.temp-disabled.cjs
 
 # Playwright
 /test-results/
diff --git a/.pnpmfile.cjs b/.pnpmfile.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f5759c26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.pnpmfile.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2026 Element Creations Ltd.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only OR LicenseRef-Element-Commercial
+Please see LICENSE in the repository root for full details.
+*/
+
+// Created based on https://github.com/element-hq/element-call/blob/60fae70a60e3697eb41210ccf1e400cab37df7c8/.yarn/plugins/linker.cjs
+// and the following prompt history:
+// - Can you convert this yarn plugin into a pnpm plugin.
+// - The goal is to not have modifications to the package.json and lock files so that we do not track links on gh.
+// This seems to modify the package.json file.
+// What can we do with pnpm to have the link inforamtion in a seperate file
+// - why do you cache the loaded links. When does this file get executed?
+// Do we need this optimization.
+// How do we guarantee, that we aleays use the most recent content from the links file?
+//
+// Manual transition to cjs. Claude proposed manual yaml parsing.
+
+const fs = require("fs");
+const path = require("path");
+
+function loadLinks() {
+  try {
+    return require(path.join(__dirname, ".links.cjs"));
+  } catch (e) {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+function readPackage(pkg, context) {
+  const links = loadLinks();
+  if (!links) return pkg;
+
+  const manifest = JSON.parse(
+    fs.readFileSync(path.join(__dirname, "package.json"), "utf8"),
+  );
+  if (pkg.name !== manifest.name) return pkg;
+
+  for (const [name, linkPath] of Object.entries(links)) {
+    const resolved = `link:${path.resolve(__dirname, linkPath)}`;
+    if (pkg.dependencies && pkg.dependencies[name]) {
+      context.log(`Linking ${name} -> ${resolved}`);
+      pkg.dependencies[name] = resolved;
+    } else if (pkg.devDependencies && pkg.devDependencies[name]) {
+      context.log(`Linking ${name} -> ${resolved}`);
+      pkg.devDependencies[name] = resolved;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return pkg;
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+  hooks: {
+    readPackage,
+  },
+};
diff --git a/docs/linking.md b/docs/linking.md
index 0abbc73e..689a6f02 100644
--- a/docs/linking.md
+++ b/docs/linking.md
@@ -1,30 +1,34 @@
 # Developing with linked packages
 
-If you want to make changes to a package that Element Call depends on and see those changes applied in real time, you can create a link to a local copy of the package. Yarn has a command for this (`yarn link`), but it's not recommended to use it as it ends up modifying package.json with details specific to your development environment.
+If you want to make changes to a package that Element Call depends on and see those changes applied in real time, you can create a link to a local copy of the package. Pnpm has a command for this (`pnpm link`), but it's not recommended to use it as it ends up modifying package.json with details specific to your development environment.
 
-Instead, you can use our little 'linker' plugin. Create a file named `.links.yaml` in the Element Call project directory, listing the names and paths of any dependencies you want to link. For example:
+Instead, you can use our little 'linker' plugin. Create a file named `.links.cjs` in the Element Call project directory, listing the names and paths of any dependencies you want to link. For example:
 
-```yaml
-matrix-js-sdk: ../path/to/matrix-js-sdk
-"@vector-im/compound-web": /home/alice/path/to/compound-web
+```cjs
+// Packages to link to local checkouts
+module.exports = {
+  "matrix-js-sdk": "../your/path/matrix-js-sdk",
+  "matrix-widget-api": "../your/path/matrix-widget-api",
+};
 ```
 
-Then run `yarn install`.
+Then run `pnpm install`.
 
 ## Hooks
 
-Changes in `.links.yaml` will also update `yarn.lock` when `yarn` is executed. The lockfile will then contain the local
+Changes in `.links.yaml` will also update `pnpm-lock.yaml` when `pnpm` is executed. The lockfile will then contain the local
 version of the package which would not work on others dev setups or the github CI.
+
 One always needs to run:
 
 ```bash
-mv .links.yaml .links.disabled.yaml
+mv .links.cjs .links.disabled.cjs
 yarn
 ```
 
 before committing a change.
 
-To make it more convenient to work with this linking system we added git hooks for your conviniece.
+To make it more convenient to work with this linking system we added git hooks.
 A `pre-commit` hook will run `mv .links.yaml .links.disabled.yaml`, `yarn` and `git add yarn.lock` if it detects
 a `.links.yaml` file and abort the commit.
 You will than need to check if the resulting changes are appropriate and commit again.
@@ -35,5 +39,5 @@ before if a `.links.disabled.yaml` is present. It runs `mv .links.disabled.yaml
 To activate the hooks automatically configure git with
 
 ```bash
-git config --local core.hooksPath .githooks/
+git config --local core.hooksPath .githooks
 ```
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 65c0f469..c0f4d505 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@
     "backend-playwright": "docker-compose -f playwright-backend-docker-compose.yml -f playwright-backend-docker-compose.override.yml up",
     "test:playwright": "playwright test",
     "test:playwright:open": "pnpm test:playwright --ui",
-    "links:enable": "mv .links.disabled.yaml .links.yaml & touch .links.yaml",
-    "links:disable": "mv .links.yaml .links.disabled.yaml",
+    "links:enable": "mv .links.disabled.cjs .links.cjs & touch .links.cjs",
+    "links:disable": "mv .links.cjs .links.disabled.cjs",
     "storybook": "storybook dev -p 6006",
     "build-storybook": "storybook build"
   },
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 01c59c96..c800b0c2 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ overrides:
   js-yaml: ^4.1.1
   esbuild: ^0.27.7
 
+pnpmfileChecksum: rxqlpiscahzxqq6bf4el6c6jvu
+
 importers:
 
   .:
@@ -236,7 +238,7 @@ importers:
         version: 1.9.2
       matrix-js-sdk:
         specifier: matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk#develop
-        version: https://codeload.github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/tar.gz/fd01b172368e0ac5479d4830f92ad261a7eccc6c
+        version: https://codeload.github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/tar.gz/668183d7226ccb4819788018fb48e9a58f85a45b
       matrix-widget-api:
         specifier: ^1.16.1
         version: 1.17.0
@@ -1576,8 +1578,8 @@ packages:
       '@types/dom-mediacapture-transform': ^0.1.9
       livekit-client: ^1.12.0 || ^2.1.0
 
-  '@matrix-org/matrix-sdk-crypto-wasm@18.0.0':
-    resolution: {integrity: sha512-88+n+dvxLI1cjS10UIlKXVYK7TGWbpAnnaDC9fow7ch/hCvdu3dFhJ3tS3/13N9s9+1QFXB4FFuommj+tHJPhQ==}
+  '@matrix-org/matrix-sdk-crypto-wasm@18.1.0':
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-GxXK2U39+2qWNvR3fXJY7nxdikvpiT17RaS0/Dktk6R8FMKDk3vm79Hq65yrCWLBmT7pJZoerfILNZqhrcUHrg==}
     engines: {node: '>= 18'}
 
   '@mdx-js/react@3.1.1':
@@ -4974,8 +4976,8 @@ packages:
   matrix-events-sdk@0.0.1:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-1QEOsXO+bhyCroIe2/A5OwaxHvBm7EsSQ46DEDn8RBIfQwN5HWBpFvyWWR4QY0KHPPnnJdI99wgRiAl7Ad5qaA==}
 
-  matrix-js-sdk@https://codeload.github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/tar.gz/fd01b172368e0ac5479d4830f92ad261a7eccc6c:
-    resolution: {tarball: https://codeload.github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/tar.gz/fd01b172368e0ac5479d4830f92ad261a7eccc6c}
+  matrix-js-sdk@https://codeload.github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/tar.gz/668183d7226ccb4819788018fb48e9a58f85a45b:
+    resolution: {tarball: https://codeload.github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/tar.gz/668183d7226ccb4819788018fb48e9a58f85a45b}
     version: 41.3.0
     engines: {node: '>=22.0.0'}
 
@@ -8110,7 +8112,7 @@ snapshots:
       '@types/dom-mediacapture-transform': 0.1.11
       livekit-client: 2.18.3(@types/dom-mediacapture-record@1.0.22)
 
-  '@matrix-org/matrix-sdk-crypto-wasm@18.0.0': {}
+  '@matrix-org/matrix-sdk-crypto-wasm@18.1.0': {}
 
   '@mdx-js/react@3.1.1(@types/react@19.2.14)(react@19.2.5)':
     dependencies:
@@ -11749,10 +11751,10 @@ snapshots:
 
   matrix-events-sdk@0.0.1: {}
 
-  matrix-js-sdk@https://codeload.github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/tar.gz/fd01b172368e0ac5479d4830f92ad261a7eccc6c:
+  matrix-js-sdk@https://codeload.github.com/matrix-org/matrix-js-sdk/tar.gz/668183d7226ccb4819788018fb48e9a58f85a45b:
     dependencies:
       '@babel/runtime': 7.29.2
-      '@matrix-org/matrix-sdk-crypto-wasm': 18.0.0
+      '@matrix-org/matrix-sdk-crypto-wasm': 18.1.0
       another-json: 0.2.0
       bs58: 6.0.0
       content-type: 1.0.5