diff --git a/lib/testing.nix b/lib/testing.nix
index 38e84b67ce7..999d27883e2 100644
--- a/lib/testing.nix
+++ b/lib/testing.nix
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ rec {
     }:
     let
       vm = buildVM { }
-        [ ({ config, pkgs, ... }: { networking.hostName = "client"; })
-          machine
+        [ machine
+          { key = "hostname"; networking.hostName = "client"; }
         ];
 
       buildrunner = writeText "vm-build" ''
diff --git a/tests/run-in-machine.nix b/tests/run-in-machine.nix
index 9903c37b73a..5f790a11aba 100644
--- a/tests/run-in-machine.nix
+++ b/tests/run-in-machine.nix
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ with import ../lib/testing.nix { inherit nixpkgs services system; };
 
 runInMachine {
   drv = (import nixpkgs { }).aterm;
-  machine = { config, pkgs, ... }: { };
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+  machine = { config, pkgs, ... }: { services.sshd.enable = true; };
+}