diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 46922d5c..160ed35d 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -463,32 +463,31 @@
               # boot any machine in a microvm
               "${host}-vm" = (self.nixosConfigurations.${host}
                 .extendModules {
-                  modules = [
-                    microvm.nixosModules.microvm
-                    {
-                      microvm = {
-                        mem = nixos.lib.mkForce 2048;
-                        hypervisor = nixos.lib.mkForce "qemu";
-                        socket = nixos.lib.mkForce null;
-                        shares = nixos.lib.mkForce [ {
-                          tag = "ro-store";
-                          source = "/nix/store";
-                          mountPoint = "/nix/.ro-store";
-                        } ];
-                        interfaces = nixos.lib.mkForce [ {
-                          type = "user";
-                          id = "eth0";
-                          mac = "02:23:de:ad:be:ef";
-                        } ];
-                      };
-                      boot.isContainer = lib.mkForce false;
-                      users.users.root.password = "";
-                      fileSystems."/".fsType = lib.mkForce "tmpfs";
-                      services.getty.helpLine = ''
+                  modules = [ {
+                    microvm = {
+                      mem = nixos.lib.mkForce 2048;
+                      hypervisor = nixos.lib.mkForce "qemu";
+                      socket = nixos.lib.mkForce null;
+                      shares = nixos.lib.mkForce [ {
+                        tag = "ro-store";
+                        source = "/nix/store";
+                        mountPoint = "/nix/.ro-store";
+                      } ];
+                      interfaces = nixos.lib.mkForce [ {
+                        type = "user";
+                        id = "eth0";
+                        mac = "02:23:de:ad:be:ef";
+                      } ];
+                    };
+                    boot.isContainer = lib.mkForce false;
+                    users.users.root.password = "";
+                    fileSystems."/".fsType = lib.mkForce "tmpfs";
+                    services.getty.helpLine = ''
                         Log in as "root" with an empty password.
                         Use "reboot" to shut qemu down.
                       '';
-                    }
+                  } ] ++ lib.optionals (! config ? microvm) [
+                    microvm.nixosModules.microvm
                   ];
                 })
                 .config.microvm.declaredRunner;