diff --git a/extern/default.nix b/extern/default.nix
index b3fcb5e7..14c3ca80 100644
--- a/extern/default.nix
+++ b/extern/default.nix
@@ -9,4 +9,10 @@
     nur.overlay
     devshell.overlay
   ];
+
+  # passed to all nixos modules
+  specialArgs = {
+    unstableModulesPath = "${master}/nixos/modules";
+    hardware = nixos-hardware.nixosModules;
+  };
 }
diff --git a/hosts/default.nix b/hosts/default.nix
index 77535f66..a91b061d 100644
--- a/hosts/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/default.nix
@@ -19,12 +19,7 @@ let
     nixosSystemExtended {
       inherit system;
 
-      specialArgs =
-        {
-          inherit suites;
-          unstableModulesPath = "${master}/nixos/modules";
-          hardware = nixos-hardware.nixosModules;
-        };
+      specialArgs = extern.specialArgs // { inherit suites; };
 
       modules =
         let