diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index aca677b9..c2a87add 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
 
       channels = {
         nixos = {
-          overlays = nixos.lib.flatten [
+          overlays = [
             (devos.lib.pathsIn ./overlays)
             ./pkgs/default.nix
             pkgs.overlay # for `srcs`
diff --git a/lib/mkFlake/evalArgs.nix b/lib/mkFlake/evalArgs.nix
index 55b37950..fe49bc3b 100644
--- a/lib/mkFlake/evalArgs.nix
+++ b/lib/mkFlake/evalArgs.nix
@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@ let
         inherit (submodule { }) check;
         description = "valid module";
       });
+
+      # to export modules we need paths to get the name
+      exportModuleType = with types;
+        (addCheck path (x: moduleType.check (import x))) // {
+          description = "path to a module";
+        };
       overlayType = pathTo (types.anything // {
         check = builtins.isFunction;
         description = "valid Nixpkgs overlay";
@@ -37,7 +43,7 @@ let
       pathToListOf = elemType: with types; pathTo (listOf elemType);
 
       coercedListOf = elemType: with types;
-        coercedTo elemType (x: flatten (singleton x)) (listOf elemType);
+        coercedTo anything (x: flatten (singleton x)) (listOf elemType);
 
       /* Submodules needed for API containers */
 
@@ -52,7 +58,7 @@ let
             '';
           };
           overlays = mkOption {
-            type = pathToListOf overlayType;
+            type = coercedListOf overlayType;
             default = [ ];
             description = escape [ "<" ">" ] ''
               overlays to apply to this channel
@@ -126,10 +132,7 @@ let
       exportModulesModule = name: {
         options = {
           modules = mkOption {
-            type = with types; pathToListOf
-              # check if the path evaluates to a proper module
-              # but this must be a path for the export to work
-              (addCheck path (x: moduleType.check (import x)));
+            type = with types; pathTo (coercedListOf exportModuleType);
             default = [ ];
             description = ''
               modules to include in all hosts and export to ${name}Modules output