diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 9b33c44..307a812 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@
 
   outputs = inputs@{ self, nixpkgs, nixpkgs-small, nixpkgs-unstable, flake-parts, colmena, ... }:
     flake-parts.lib.mkFlake { inherit inputs; } {
-      imports = [ ];
+      imports = [ ./flake ];
 
       systems = [ "x86_64-linux" "aarch64-linux" ];
 
@@ -125,9 +125,7 @@
         };
 
         defaults = { config, lib, pkgs, ... }: {
-          # disable remote deployment by default
-          # (can stil build locally with nixos-rebuild)
-          deployment.targetHost = lib.mkDefault null;
+          deployment.targetHost = lib.mkDefault config.networking.fqdn;
           deployment.buildOnTarget = lib.mkDefault true;
 
           imports = [
@@ -142,10 +140,9 @@
           ];
         };
 
-        elucredassa.deployment.targetHost = "10.127.3.2";
-        yevaud.deployment.targetHost = "yevaud.birdsong.network";
-        orm.deployment.targetHost = "orm.birdsong.network";
-        kalessin.deployment.targetHost = "kalessin.birdsong.network";
+        kilgharrah.deployment.targetHost = null; # disable remote deployment
+        tohru.deployment.targetHost = null; # disable remote deployment
+        elucredassa.deployment.targetHost = "10.127.3.2"; # no fqdn yet
 
         kilgharrah.imports = [ ./hosts/kilgharrah ];
         tohru.imports = [ ./hosts/tohru ];
diff --git a/flake/colmena.nix b/flake/colmena.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1679e17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flake/colmena.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+# https://git.lix.systems/the-distro/infra/src/commit/fbb23bf517206175764f154ddfd304b9ec501f87/colmena.nix
+{ lib, ... }: {
+  options.flake.colmena = lib.mkOption {
+    type = lib.types.submodule {
+      freeformType = lib.types.attrsOf (lib.mkOptionType {
+        name = "NixOS module";
+        description = "module containing NixOS options and/or config";
+        descriptionClass = "noun";
+        check = value: builtins.isAttrs value || builtins.isFunction value || builtins.isPath value;
+        merge = loc: defs: {
+          imports = map (def: def.value) defs;
+        };
+      });
+      options.meta = lib.mkOption {
+        type = lib.types.attrs;
+      };
+    };
+  };
+}
diff --git a/flake/default.nix b/flake/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65b028d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/flake/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  imports = [
+    ./colmena.nix
+  ];
+}
diff --git a/hosts/kalessin/default.nix b/hosts/kalessin/default.nix
index 858faff..a26ad8b 100644
--- a/hosts/kalessin/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/kalessin/default.nix
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ in
   nixpkgs.hostPlatform = "aarch64-linux";
   networking.hostName = "kalessin";
   networking.hostId = "534b538e";
+  networking.domain = "birdsong.network";
 
   fountain.users.qenya.enable = true;
   users.users.qenya.extraGroups = [ "wheel" ];
diff --git a/hosts/orm/default.nix b/hosts/orm/default.nix
index 6f21b57..c892c20 100644
--- a/hosts/orm/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/orm/default.nix
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
   nixpkgs.hostPlatform = "x86_64-linux";
   networking.hostName = "orm";
   networking.hostId = "00000000";
+  networking.domain = "birdsong.network";
 
   fountain.users.qenya.enable = true;
   users.users.qenya.extraGroups = [ "wheel" ];
diff --git a/hosts/yevaud/default.nix b/hosts/yevaud/default.nix
index a54c58f..84a2e2e 100644
--- a/hosts/yevaud/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/yevaud/default.nix
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
   nixpkgs.hostPlatform = lib.mkDefault "x86_64-linux";
   networking.hostName = "yevaud";
   networking.hostId = "09673d65";
+  networking.domain = "birdsong.network";
 
   fountain.users.qenya.enable = true;
   users.users.qenya.extraGroups = [ "wheel" ];