diff --git a/nixos/tests/containers-reloadable.nix b/nixos/tests/containers-reloadable.nix
index 876e62c1da9e..00d850cae2a1 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/containers-reloadable.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/containers-reloadable.nix
@@ -1,71 +1,57 @@
 import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, lib, ... }:
-let
-  client_base = {
-    containers.test1 = {
-      autoStart = true;
-      config = {
-        environment.etc.check.text = "client_base";
-      };
-    };
-
-    # prevent make-test-python.nix to change IP
-    networking.interfaces = {
-      eth1.ipv4.addresses = lib.mkOverride 0 [ ];
-    };
-  };
-in {
+{
   name = "containers-reloadable";
   meta = {
     maintainers = with lib.maintainers; [ danbst ];
   };
 
   nodes = {
-    client = { ... }: {
-      imports = [ client_base ];
-    };
-
-    client_c1 = { lib, ... }: {
-      imports = [ client_base ];
-
-      containers.test1.config = {
-        environment.etc.check.text = lib.mkForce "client_c1";
-        services.httpd.enable = true;
-        services.httpd.adminAddr = "nixos@example.com";
+    machine = { lib, ... }: {
+      containers.test1 = {
+        autoStart = true;
+        config.environment.etc.check.text = "client_base";
       };
-    };
-    client_c2 = { lib, ... }: {
-      imports = [ client_base ];
 
-      containers.test1.config = {
-        environment.etc.check.text = lib.mkForce "client_c2";
-        services.nginx.enable = true;
+      # prevent make-test-python.nix to change IP
+      networking.interfaces.eth1.ipv4.addresses = lib.mkOverride 0 [ ];
+
+      specialisation.c1.configuration = {
+        containers.test1.config = {
+          environment.etc.check.text = lib.mkForce "client_c1";
+          services.httpd.enable = true;
+          services.httpd.adminAddr = "nixos@example.com";
+        };
+      };
+
+      specialisation.c2.configuration = {
+        containers.test1.config = {
+          environment.etc.check.text = lib.mkForce "client_c2";
+          services.nginx.enable = true;
+        };
       };
     };
   };
 
-  testScript = {nodes, ...}: let
-    c1System = nodes.client_c1.config.system.build.toplevel;
-    c2System = nodes.client_c2.config.system.build.toplevel;
-  in ''
-    client.start()
-    client.wait_for_unit("default.target")
+  testScript = ''
+    machine.start()
+    machine.wait_for_unit("default.target")
 
-    assert "client_base" in client.succeed("nixos-container run test1 cat /etc/check")
+    assert "client_base" in machine.succeed("nixos-container run test1 cat /etc/check")
 
     with subtest("httpd is available after activating config1"):
-        client.succeed(
-            "${c1System}/bin/switch-to-configuration test >&2",
+        machine.succeed(
+            "/run/booted-system/specialisation/c1/bin/switch-to-configuration test >&2",
             "[[ $(nixos-container run test1 cat /etc/check) == client_c1 ]] >&2",
             "systemctl status httpd -M test1 >&2",
         )
 
     with subtest("httpd is not available any longer after switching to config2"):
-        client.succeed(
-            "${c2System}/bin/switch-to-configuration test >&2",
+        machine.succeed(
+            "/run/booted-system/specialisation/c2/bin/switch-to-configuration test >&2",
             "[[ $(nixos-container run test1 cat /etc/check) == client_c2 ]] >&2",
             "systemctl status nginx -M test1 >&2",
         )
-        client.fail("systemctl status httpd -M test1 >&2")
+        machine.fail("systemctl status httpd -M test1 >&2")
   '';
 
 })