diff --git a/cerulean/nexus/nexus.nix b/cerulean/nexus/nexus.nix
index b30647d..f3cf38a 100644
--- a/cerulean/nexus/nexus.nix
+++ b/cerulean/nexus/nexus.nix
@@ -197,8 +197,8 @@ in {
               inherit root base;
               inherit (node) system;
               _cerulean = {
-                inherit inputs userArgs;
-                args = ceruleanArgs;
+                inherit inputs userArgs ceruleanArgs;
+                specialArgs = userArgs // ceruleanArgs;
               };
             };
             specialArgs = assert (userArgs
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ in {
                   `specialArgs` are like super important to Cerulean my love... </3
                   But `args.${argName}` is a reserved argument name :(
                 ''));
-              userArgs // ceruleanArgs;
+              ceruleanArgs._cerulean.specialArgs;
           in
             lib.nixosSystem {
               inherit (node) system;
diff --git a/cerulean/nixos/home-manager.nix b/cerulean/nixos/home-manager.nix
index 7c3d12d..1d281cb 100644
--- a/cerulean/nixos/home-manager.nix
+++ b/cerulean/nixos/home-manager.nix
@@ -25,21 +25,21 @@
     pathExists
     ;
 in {
-  config = {
-    home-manager = {
-      users =
-        config.users.users
-        |> attrNames
-        |> filter (x: pathExists (root + "/homes/${x}"))
-        |> (x: lib.genAttrs x (y: import (root + "/homes/${y}")));
+  home-manager = {
+    users =
+      config.users.users
+      |> attrNames
+      |> filter (x: pathExists (root + "/homes/${x}"))
+      |> (x:
+        lib.genAttrs x (y:
+          import (root + "/homes/${y}")));
 
-      extraSpecialArgs = _cerulean.args;
-      sharedModules = [
-        # user configuration
-        (import (root + "/nixpkgs.nix"))
-        # options declarations
-        (import ./nixpkgs.nix (args // {contextName = "homes";}))
-      ];
-    };
+    extraSpecialArgs = _cerulean.specialArgs;
+    sharedModules = [
+      # user configuration
+      (import (root + "/nixpkgs.nix"))
+      # options declarations
+      (import ./nixpkgs.nix (args // {contextName = "homes";}))
+    ];
   };
 }
diff --git a/cerulean/nixos/nixpkgs.nix b/cerulean/nixos/nixpkgs.nix
index 65db5a5..b43dbbc 100644
--- a/cerulean/nixos/nixpkgs.nix
+++ b/cerulean/nixos/nixpkgs.nix
@@ -26,74 +26,67 @@
   cfg = config.nixpkgs.channels;
 in {
   options.nixpkgs.channels = lib.mkOption {
-    type = lib.types.attrsOf (lib.types.attrs);
+    type = lib.types.attrs;
     default = {};
-    description = "Declare package repositories per module context (nixos, home-manager, etc)";
+    description = "Declare package repositories";
     example = {
-      "homes" = {
-        "pkgs" = {
-          source = "inputs.nixpkgs";
-          system = "x86-64-linux";
-          config = {
-            allowUnfree = true;
-            allowBroken = false;
-          };
+      "pkgs" = {
+        source = "inputs.nixpkgs";
+        system = "x86-64-linux";
+        config = {
+          allowUnfree = true;
+          allowBroken = false;
         };
-        "upkgs" = {
-          source = "inputs.nixpkgs-unstable";
-          system = "x86-64-linux";
-          config = {
-            allowUnfree = true;
-            allowBroken = false;
-          };
+      };
+      "upkgs" = {
+        source = "inputs.nixpkgs-unstable";
+        system = "x86-64-linux";
+        config = {
+          allowUnfree = false;
+          allowBroken = true;
         };
       };
     };
   };
 
   config = let
-    # TODO: use lib.types.submodule to restrict what options
-    # TODO: can be given to `nixpkgs.channels.${moduleName}.${name}`
-    decl =
-      cfg.${contextName} or cfg.default;
-
     repos =
-      decl
+      cfg
+      |> (xs: removeAttrs xs ["default"])
       |> mapAttrs (
         name: args:
           lib.mkForce (
             assert args ? source
             || abort ''
-              ${toString ./.}
-              `nixpkgs.channels.${contextName}.${name}` missing required attribute "source"
+              `nixpkgs.channels.${name}` missing required attribute "source"
             '';
-              ((removeAttrs args ["source"])
-                // {inherit system;})
-              |> import args.source
+              import args.source ({inherit system;} // (removeAttrs args ["source"]))
           )
       );
+
+    # XXX: TODO: would it work to use `base` instead of having default?
+    defaultPkgs =
+      cfg.default or (throw ''
+        Your `nixpkgs.nix` file does not declare a default package source.
+        Ensure you set `nixpkgs.channels.*.default = ...;`
+      '');
   in {
     # NOTE: _module.args is a special option that allows us to
     # NOTE: set extend specialArgs from inside the modules.
     _module.args = repos;
 
-    nixpkgs = let
-      defaultPkgs =
-        decl.default or (throw ''
-          Your `nixpkgs.nix` file does not declare a default package source.
-          Ensure you set `nixpkgs.channels.*.default = ...;`
-        '');
-    in
+    nixpkgs =
       if contextName == "hosts"
-      then {
-        flake.source = lib.mkOverride 200 defaultPkgs.source;
-        config = lib.mkOverride 200 defaultPkgs.config;
-      }
+      then
+        # DEBUG: defaultPkgs
+        {
+          flake.source = lib.mkOverride 200 (defaultPkgs.source or null);
+          overlays = lib.mkOverride 200 (defaultPkgs.overlays or {});
+          config = lib.mkOverride 200 (defaultPkgs.config or {});
+        }
       else if contextName == "homes"
       then {
-        # XXX: XXX: XXX: OH OH OH OMG, its because aurora never defines pkgs
         config = lib.mkOverride 200 (defaultPkgs.config or {});
-        # XXX: WARNING: TODO: modify options so overlays must always be given as the correct type
         overlays = lib.mkOverride 200 (defaultPkgs.overlays or []);
       }
       else {};