diff --git a/configuration.nix b/configuration.nix
index fbf922a..f6007a1 100644
--- a/configuration.nix
+++ b/configuration.nix
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 with lib;
 
 let
-  machinePath = (builtins.toPath ( ./machines + ("/" + (fileContents /secret/hostName))));
+  # hostName can be set with -I hostName=$HOSTNAME, defaults to the contents of /secret/hostName
+  hostName = (findFirst (elem: elem.prefix == "hostName") { path = (fileContents /secret/hostName); } builtins.nixPath).path;
+  machinePath = (builtins.toPath ( ./machines + ("/" + hostName)));
   machineConf = machinePath + "/configuration.nix";
   machineOpts = machinePath + "/options.nix";
 in {
diff --git a/options/machine.nix b/options/machine.nix
index a2e29cc..8f0030e 100644
--- a/options/machine.nix
+++ b/options/machine.nix
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ with lib;
     };
     secretPath = mkOption {
       type = types.str;
-      default = "/secret";
+      default = (findFirst (elem: elem.prefix == "secretPath") { path = "/secret"; } builtins.nixPath).path;
       description = ''
         Path to you systems secret folder containing files with sensitive information.
       '';