diff --git a/.config/shell/env b/.config/shell/env
index bfb21a2..015da1f 100644
--- a/.config/shell/env
+++ b/.config/shell/env
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ else
    echo "Error: couldn't find the documents repo" > /dev/null
 fi
 
+if [ -d "/etc/nixos" ]; then
+   export NIXOS_DIR=/etc/nixos
+fi
+
 ## Working directory save settings (see things at bottom of zshrc)
 WORKING_DIR_SAVE_FILE="${XDG_CACHE_HOME:-$HOME/.cache}/zsh/last-working-dir"
 # make the dir for the file if needed
@@ -97,10 +101,11 @@ export P10K_CONFIG_LOCATION="${P10K_CONFIG_LOCATION:-"$SHELL_CONFIG_DIR/p10k/cur
 ###   Directory and file quick access   ###
 ###########################################
 S="$SHELL_CONFIG_DIR"
-export SS="$S/shrc"
+SS="$S/shrc"
 DD="$DOCS_DIR"
 C=~/code/spu/ds2/src
+N="${NIXOS_DIR:-}"
 
-export S  # this makes it easier to load the shrc while in posix sh
+export S SS # this makes it easier to load the shrc while in posix sh
 
 # vim:fdm=marker:fmr=>>>,<<<:et:ft=sh:sw=3:ts=3