diff --git a/default.nix b/default.nix
index 3923cb9592b..1a621c3457e 100644
--- a/default.nix
+++ b/default.nix
@@ -42,13 +42,5 @@ in
 
   manifests = system.config.installer.manifests; # exported here because nixos-rebuild uses it
 
-  upstartJobsCombined = system.upstartJobs;
-
-  # Make it easier to build individual Upstart jobs (e.g., "nix-build
-  # /etc/nixos/nixos -A upstartJobs.xserver").  
-  upstartJobs = { recurseForDerivations = true; } //
-    builtins.listToAttrs (map (job:
-      { name = if job ? jobName then job.jobName else job.name; value = job; }
-    ) system.upstartJobs.jobs);
-
+  tests = system.config.tests;
 }
diff --git a/doc/manual/development.xml b/doc/manual/development.xml
index 3c48acfa57b..f4d68526c5e 100644
--- a/doc/manual/development.xml
+++ b/doc/manual/development.xml
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ where <replaceable>attr</replaceable> is an attribute in
     <listitem><para>An attribute set containing the Upstart jobs.  For
     instance, the <varname>sshd</varname> Upstart job can be built by
     doing <literal>nix-build /etc/nixos/nixos -A
-    upstartJobs.sshd</literal>.</para></listitem>
+    tests.upstartJobs.sshd</literal>.</para></listitem>
   </varlistentry>
 
 </variablelist>
diff --git a/etc/default.nix b/etc/default.nix
index 6b8bc81503d..dd219dc74ef 100644
--- a/etc/default.nix
+++ b/etc/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{ config, pkgs, upstartJobs, systemPath, wrapperDir
+{ config, pkgs, systemPath, wrapperDir
 , defaultShell, extraEtc, nixEnvVars, modulesTree, nssModulesPath
 }:
 
@@ -73,11 +73,6 @@ import ../helpers/make-etc.nix {
       target = "login.defs";
     }
 
-    { # The Upstart events defined above.
-      source = upstartJobs + "/etc/event.d";
-      target = "event.d";
-    }
-
     { # Configuration for passwd and friends (e.g., hash algorithm
       # for /etc/passwd).
       source = ./default/passwd;
diff --git a/system/options.nix b/system/options.nix
index 2d670e97200..014ae9da8bd 100644
--- a/system/options.nix
+++ b/system/options.nix
@@ -332,6 +332,92 @@ in
 
   };
 
+  system = {
+    # NSS modules.  Hacky!
+    nssModules = mkOption {
+      internal = true;
+      default = [];
+      description = "
+        Search path for NSS (Name Service Switch) modules.  This allows
+        several DNS resolution methods to be specified via
+        <filename>/etc/nsswitch.conf</filename>.
+      ";
+      merge = pkgs.lib.mergeListOption;
+      apply = list:
+        let
+          list2 =
+             list
+          ++ pkgs.lib.optional config.users.ldap.enable pkgs.nss_ldap
+          ++ pkgs.lib.optional config.services.avahi.nssmdns pkgs.nssmdns;
+        in {
+          list = list2;
+          path = pkgs.lib.makeLibraryPath list2;
+        };
+    };
+
+    modulesTree = mkOption {
+      internal = true;
+      default = [];
+      description = "
+        Tree of kernel modules.  This includes the kernel, plus modules
+        built outside of the kernel.  Combine these into a single tree of
+        symlinks because modprobe only supports one directory.
+      ";
+      merge = pkgs.lib.mergeListOption;
+
+      # Convert the list of path to only one path.
+      apply = list: pkgs.aggregateModules (
+        let
+          kernelPackages = config.boot.kernelPackages;
+          kernel = kernelPackages.kernel;
+        in
+        [ kernel ]
+        ++ pkgs.lib.optional ((config.networking.enableIntel3945ABGFirmware || config.networking.enableIntel4965AGNFirmware) && !kernel.features ? iwlwifi) kernelPackages.iwlwifi
+        # !!! this should be declared by the xserver Upstart job.
+        ++ pkgs.lib.optional (config.services.xserver.enable && config.services.xserver.videoDriver == "nvidia") kernelPackages.nvidiaDrivers
+        ++ pkgs.lib.optional config.hardware.enableGo7007 kernelPackages.wis_go7007
+        ++ config.boot.extraModulePackages
+        # should only keep this one, other have to be set by the option owners.
+        ++ list
+      );
+    };
+
+    sbin = {
+      modprobe = mkOption {
+        # should be moved in module-init-tools
+        internal = true;
+        default = pkgs.substituteAll {
+          dir = "sbin";
+          src = ./modprobe;
+          isExecutable = true;
+          inherit (pkgs) module_init_tools;
+          inherit (config.system) modulesTree;
+        };
+        description = "
+          Path to the modprobe binary used by the system.
+        ";
+      };
+
+      mount = mkOption {
+        internal = true;
+        default = pkgs.utillinux.passthru.function {
+          buildMountOnly = true;
+          mountHelpers = pkgs.buildEnv {
+            name = "mount-helpers";
+            paths = [
+              pkgs.ntfs3g
+              pkgs.mount_cifs
+            ];
+            pathsToLink = "/sbin";
+          } + "/sbin";
+        };
+        description = "
+          Install a special version of mount to search mount tools in
+          unusual path.
+        ";
+      };
+    };
+  };
 
   # Hm, this sounds like a catch-all...
   hardware = {
@@ -594,24 +680,6 @@ in
 
   services = {
 
-
-    extraJobs = mkOption {
-      default = [];
-      example = [
-           { name = "test-job";
-             job = ''
-               description "nc"
-               start on started network-interfaces
-               respawn
-               env PATH=/var/run/current-system/sw/bin
-               exec sh -c "echo 'hello world' | ${pkgs.netcat}/bin/nc -l -p 9000"
-               '';
-           } ];
-      description = "
-        Additional Upstart jobs.
-      ";
-    };
-
   
     syslogd = {
 
@@ -2659,6 +2727,36 @@ in
       ";
     };
 
+    # Environment variables for running Nix.
+    envVars = mkOption {
+      internal = true;
+      default = "";
+      description = "
+        Define the environment variables used by nix to 
+      ";
+
+      merge = pkgs.lib.mergeStringOption;
+
+      # other option should be used to define the content instead of using
+      # the apply function.
+      apply = conf: ''
+        export NIX_CONF_DIR=/nix/etc/nix
+
+        # Enable the copy-from-other-stores substituter, which allows builds
+        # to be sped up by copying build results from remote Nix stores.  To
+        # do this, mount the remote file system on a subdirectory of
+        # /var/run/nix/remote-stores.
+        export NIX_OTHER_STORES=/var/run/nix/remote-stores/*/nix
+        
+      '' + # */
+      (if config.nix.distributedBuilds then
+        ''
+          export NIX_BUILD_HOOK=${config.environment.nix}/libexec/nix/build-remote.pl
+          export NIX_REMOTE_SYSTEMS=/etc/nix.machines
+          export NIX_CURRENT_LOAD=/var/run/nix/current-load
+        ''
+      else "") + conf;
+    };
   };
 
 
@@ -3020,6 +3118,9 @@ root        ALL=(ALL) SETENV: ALL
   };
 
   require = [
+    # system
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/default.nix)
+
     # newtworking
     (import ../upstart-jobs/dhclient.nix)
 
diff --git a/system/system.nix b/system/system.nix
index eaa26cdea56..5e831f24425 100644
--- a/system/system.nix
+++ b/system/system.nix
@@ -36,19 +36,7 @@ rec {
 
   kernel = kernelPackages.kernel;
 
-
-  # Tree of kernel modules.  This includes the kernel, plus modules
-  # built outside of the kernel.  We have to combine these into a
-  # single tree of symlinks because modprobe only supports one
-  # directory.
-  modulesTree = pkgs.aggregateModules (
-    [kernel]
-    ++ pkgs.lib.optional ((config.networking.enableIntel3945ABGFirmware || config.networking.enableIntel4965AGNFirmware) && !kernel.features ? iwlwifi) kernelPackages.iwlwifi
-    # !!! this should be declared by the xserver Upstart job.
-    ++ pkgs.lib.optional (config.services.xserver.enable && config.services.xserver.videoDriver == "nvidia") kernelPackages.nvidiaDrivers
-    ++ pkgs.lib.optional config.hardware.enableGo7007 kernelPackages.wis_go7007
-    ++ config.boot.extraModulePackages
-  );
+  modulesTree = config.system.modulesTree;
 
 
   # The initial ramdisk.
@@ -66,59 +54,24 @@ rec {
 
 
   # NSS modules.  Hacky!
-  nssModules =
-       pkgs.lib.optional config.users.ldap.enable pkgs.nss_ldap
-    ++ pkgs.lib.optional config.services.avahi.nssmdns pkgs.nssmdns;
+  nssModules = config.system.nssModules.list;
 
-  nssModulesPath = pkgs.lib.concatStrings (pkgs.lib.intersperse ":" 
-    (map (mod: mod + "/lib") nssModules));
+  nssModulesPath = config.system.nssModules.path;
 
 
   # Wrapper around modprobe to set the path to the modules.
-  modprobe = pkgs.substituteAll {
-    dir = "sbin";
-    src = ./modprobe;
-    isExecutable = true;
-    inherit (pkgs) module_init_tools;
-    inherit modulesTree;
-  };
+  modprobe = config.system.sbin.modprobe;
 
 
   # Environment variables for running Nix.
-  nixEnvVars =
-    ''
-      export NIX_CONF_DIR=/nix/etc/nix
-
-      # Enable the copy-from-other-stores substituter, which allows builds
-      # to be sped up by copying build results from remote Nix stores.  To
-      # do this, mount the remote file system on a subdirectory of
-      # /var/run/nix/remote-stores.
-      export NIX_OTHER_STORES=/var/run/nix/remote-stores/*/nix
-      
-    '' + # */
-    (if config.nix.distributedBuilds then
-      ''
-        export NIX_BUILD_HOOK=${nix}/libexec/nix/build-remote.pl
-        export NIX_REMOTE_SYSTEMS=/etc/nix.machines
-        export NIX_CURRENT_LOAD=/var/run/nix/current-load
-      ''
-    else "");
+  nixEnvVars = config.nix.envVars;
 
               
-  # The services (Upstart) configuration for the system.
-  upstartJobs = import ../upstart-jobs/default.nix {
-    inherit config pkgs nix modprobe nssModulesPath nixEnvVars
-      optionDeclarations kernelPackages mount;
-  };
-
-
   # The static parts of /etc.
   etc = import ../etc/default.nix {
-    inherit config pkgs upstartJobs systemPath wrapperDir
+    inherit config pkgs systemPath wrapperDir
       defaultShell nixEnvVars modulesTree nssModulesPath;
-    extraEtc =
-       (pkgs.lib.concatLists (map (job: job.extraEtc) upstartJobs.jobs))
-    ++ config.environment.etc;
+    extraEtc = config.environment.etc;
   };
 
   
@@ -143,18 +96,7 @@ rec {
   # A patched `mount' command that looks in a directory in the Nix
   # store instead of in /sbin for mount helpers (like mount.ntfs-3g or
   # mount.cifs).
-  mount = import "${nixpkgsPath}/pkgs/os-specific/linux/util-linux" {
-    inherit (pkgs) fetchurl stdenv;
-    buildMountOnly = true;
-    mountHelpers = pkgs.buildEnv {
-      name = "mount-helpers";
-      paths = [
-        pkgs.ntfs3g
-        pkgs.mount_cifs
-      ];
-      pathsToLink = "/sbin";
-    } + "/sbin";
-  };
+  mount = config.system.sbin.mount;
   
 
   # The packages you want in the boot environment.
@@ -220,7 +162,6 @@ rec {
   ++ pkgs.lib.optional config.services.bitlbee.enable pkgs.bitlbee
   ++ pkgs.lib.optional config.services.avahi.enable pkgs.avahi
   ++ pkgs.lib.optional config.networking.defaultMailServer.directDelivery pkgs.ssmtp 
-  ++ pkgs.lib.concatLists (map (job: job.extraPath) upstartJobs.jobs)
   ++ config.environment.extraPackages
   ++ pkgs.lib.optional config.fonts.enableFontDir fontDir
   ++ pkgs.lib.optional config.hardware.enableGo7007 kernelPackages.wis_go7007
@@ -248,7 +189,7 @@ rec {
   };
 
 
-  usersGroups = import ./users-groups.nix { inherit pkgs config upstartJobs defaultShell; };
+  usersGroups = import ./users-groups.nix { inherit pkgs config defaultShell; };
 
 
   defaultShell = "/var/run/current-system/sw/bin/bash";
diff --git a/system/users-groups.nix b/system/users-groups.nix
index 7aeeddaa3a1..48c4db65bdf 100644
--- a/system/users-groups.nix
+++ b/system/users-groups.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-{pkgs, config, upstartJobs, defaultShell}:
+{pkgs, config, defaultShell}:
 
 let ids = import ./ids.nix; in
 
@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ rec {
   # User accounts to be created/updated by NixOS.
   users =
     let
-      jobUsers = pkgs.lib.concatLists (map (job: job.users) upstartJobs.jobs);
-      
       defaultUsers =
         [
           { name = "root";
@@ -46,14 +44,12 @@ rec {
         }:
         { inherit name description uid group extraGroups home shell createHome; };
 
-    in map addAttrs (defaultUsers ++ jobUsers ++ nixBuildUsers ++ config.users.extraUsers);
+    in map addAttrs (defaultUsers ++ nixBuildUsers ++ config.users.extraUsers);
 
 
   # Groups to be created/updated by NixOS.
   groups =
     let
-      jobGroups = pkgs.lib.concatLists (map (job: job.groups) upstartJobs.jobs);
-
       defaultGroups = 
         [
           { name = "root";
@@ -95,7 +91,7 @@ rec {
         { name, gid ? "" }:
         { inherit name gid; };
 
-    in map addAttrs (defaultGroups ++ jobGroups ++ config.users.extraGroups);
+    in map addAttrs (defaultGroups ++ config.users.extraGroups);
 
 
   # Awful hackery necessary to pass the users/groups to the activation script.
diff --git a/test/test-upstart-job.sh b/test/test-upstart-job.sh
index 83af32e7956..86be01bf602 100755
--- a/test/test-upstart-job.sh
+++ b/test/test-upstart-job.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ fi
 
 for i in $*; do
     echo "building job $i..."
-    nix-build /etc/nixos/nixos -A "upstartJobs.$i" -o $tmpDir/.result
+    nix-build /etc/nixos/nixos -A "tests.upstartJobs.$i" -o $tmpDir/.result
     ln -sfn $(readlink -f $tmpDir/.result)/etc/event.d/* /tmp/event.d/
 done
 
diff --git a/upstart-jobs/cron.nix b/upstart-jobs/cron.nix
index 4220de6d647..0876f776f47 100644
--- a/upstart-jobs/cron.nix
+++ b/upstart-jobs/cron.nix
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ in
 
 {
   require = [
-    # (import ../upstart-jobs/default.nix) # config.services.extraJobs
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/default.nix) # config.services.extraJobs
     # (import ?) # config.time.timeZone
     # (import ?) # config.environment.etc
     # (import ?) # config.environment.extraPackages
diff --git a/upstart-jobs/default.nix b/upstart-jobs/default.nix
index 6bc7cff9ceb..fce6b2520b3 100644
--- a/upstart-jobs/default.nix
+++ b/upstart-jobs/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,54 @@
-{config, pkgs, nix, modprobe, nssModulesPath, nixEnvVars, optionDeclarations, kernelPackages, mount}:
+{config, pkgs}:
 
-let 
+###### interface
+let
+  inherit (pkgs.lib) mkOption;
+
+  options = {
+    services = {
+      extraJobs = mkOption {
+        default = [];
+        example = [
+             { name = "test-job";
+               job = ''
+                 description "nc"
+                 start on started network-interfaces
+                 respawn
+                 env PATH=/var/run/current-system/sw/bin
+                 exec sh -c "echo 'hello world' | ${pkgs.netcat}/bin/nc -l -p 9000"
+                 '';
+             } ];
+        # should have some checks to everify the syntax
+        merge = pkgs.lib.mergeListOption;
+        description = "
+          Additional Upstart jobs.
+        ";
+      };
+    };
+
+    tests = {
+      upstartJobs = mkOption {
+        internal = true;
+        default = {};
+        description = "
+          Make it easier to build individual Upstart jobs. (e.g.,
+          <command>nix-build /etc/nixos/nixos -A
+          tests.upstartJobs.xserver</command>).
+        ";
+      };
+    };
+  };
+in
+
+###### implementation
+let
+  # should be moved to the corresponding jobs.
+  nix = config.environment.nix;
+  nixEnvVars = config.nix.envVars;
+  kernelPackages = config.boot.kernelPackages;
+  nssModulesPath = config.system.nssModules.path;
+  modprobe = config.system.sbin.modprobe;
+  mount = config.system.sbin.mount;
 
   makeJob = import ../upstart-jobs/make-job.nix {
     inherit (pkgs) runCommand;
@@ -58,9 +106,7 @@ let
                                 then let v = (__getAttr name thisConfig); in if opt ? apply then opt.apply v else v
                                 else if opt ? default then opt.default else abort "you need to specify the configuration option ${errorWhere name}"
                            else abort "unkown option ${errorWhere name}";
-          checkConfig = (pkgs.lib.getAttr ["environment" "checkConfigurationOptions"] 
-                  optionDeclarations.environment.checkConfigurationOptions.default
-                  config);
+          checkConfig = config.environment.checkConfigurationOptions;
       in # TODO: pass path to checker so it can show full path in the abort case
           pkgs.checker ( (jobFunc (args configV)).jobs )
                       checkConfig
@@ -464,8 +510,43 @@ let
   # For the built-in logd job.
   ++ [(makeJob { jobDrv = pkgs.upstart; })];
 
+
+  command = import ../upstart-jobs/gather.nix {
+    inherit (pkgs) runCommand;
+    inherit jobs;
+  };
   
-in import ../upstart-jobs/gather.nix {
-  inherit (pkgs) runCommand;
-  inherit jobs;
-}
+in 
+
+{
+  require = [
+    options
+  ];
+
+  environment = {
+    etc = [{ # The Upstart events defined above.
+      source = command + "/etc/event.d";
+      target = "event.d";
+    }]
+    ++ pkgs.lib.concatLists (map (job: job.extraEtc) jobs);
+
+    extraPackages =
+      pkgs.lib.concatLists (map (job: job.extraPath) jobs);
+  };
+
+  users = {
+    extraUsers =
+      pkgs.lib.concatLists (map (job: job.users) jobs);
+
+    extraGroups =
+      pkgs.lib.concatLists (map (job: job.groups) jobs);
+  };
+
+  tests = {
+    # see test/test-upstart-job.sh
+    upstartJobs = { recurseForDerivations = true; } //
+      builtins.listToAttrs (map (job:
+        { name = if job ? jobName then job.jobName else job.name; value = job; }
+      ) jobs);
+  };
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/upstart-jobs/dhclient.nix b/upstart-jobs/dhclient.nix
index 061af3d8f84..5be6c6c0e54 100644
--- a/upstart-jobs/dhclient.nix
+++ b/upstart-jobs/dhclient.nix
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ in
 
 {
   require = [
-    # (import ../upstart-jobs/default.nix)
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/default.nix)
     options
   ];