diff --git a/base/common_hardware.nix b/base/common_hardware.nix
index 115295c..8eb4e78 100644
--- a/base/common_hardware.nix
+++ b/base/common_hardware.nix
@@ -50,14 +50,13 @@ in {
         "sd_mod"
       ];
     };
-    kernelParams = lib.mkDefault (
+    kernelParams =
       [
         ''resume="PARTLABEL=SWAP"''
         ''quiet''
         ''udev.log_level=3''
       ]
-      ++ config.conf.bootParams
-    );
+      ++ config.conf.bootParams;
   };
 
   networking = {
@@ -102,7 +101,7 @@ in {
 
       builders-use-substitutes = mkDashDefault true;
 
-      substituters = lib.mkDefault [
+      substituters = [
         "https://hyprland.cachix.org"
         "https://anyrun.cachix.org"
         "https://cache.garnix.io"
@@ -116,7 +115,7 @@ in {
         "https://chaotic-nyx.cachix.org/"
       ];
 
-      trusted-public-keys = lib.mkDefault [
+      trusted-public-keys = [
         "hyprland.cachix.org-1:a7pgxzMz7+chwVL3/pzj6jIBMioiJM7ypFP8PwtkuGc="
         "anyrun.cachix.org-1:pqBobmOjI7nKlsUMV25u9QHa9btJK65/C8vnO3p346s="
         "cache.garnix.io:CTFPyKSLcx5RMJKfLo5EEPUObbA78b0YQ2DTCJXqr9g="
@@ -163,11 +162,10 @@ in {
         "video"
         "audio"
       ];
-      packages = with pkgs;
-        lib.mkDefault [
-          home-manager
-          xdg-desktop-portal-gtk
-        ];
+      packages = with pkgs; [
+        home-manager
+        xdg-desktop-portal-gtk
+      ];
       # this password will only last for the first login
       # e.g. login, then change to whatever else, this also ensures no public hash is available
       password = mkDashDefault "firstlogin";
diff --git a/home/common.nix b/home/common.nix
index be7deaf..1a3ccf3 100644
--- a/home/common.nix
+++ b/home/common.nix
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ in {
   };
 
   nix = {
-    extraOptions = lib.mkDefault (lib.mkIf (config ? sops.secrets && config.sops.secrets ? access.path) ''
+    extraOptions = lib.mkIf (config ? sops.secrets && config.sops.secrets ? access.path) ''
       !include ${config.sops.secrets.access.path}
-    '');
+    '';
   };
 }
diff --git a/home/default.nix b/home/default.nix
index f7b2fd5..c459466 100644
--- a/home/default.nix
+++ b/home/default.nix
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
     };
 
     users.${config.conf.username} = {
-      disabledModules = lib.mkDefault ["programs/anyrun.nix"];
+      disabledModules = ["programs/anyrun.nix"];
       imports =
         [
           ./common.nix
diff --git a/modules/programs/basePackages.nix b/modules/programs/basePackages.nix
index 0f2ff25..3531f77 100644
--- a/modules/programs/basePackages.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/basePackages.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {
+  mkDashDefault,
   config,
   lib,
   options,
@@ -84,14 +85,15 @@
       if config.mods.basePackages.enable
       then
         {
-          upower.enable = true;
+          preload.enable = mkDashDefault true;
+          upower.enable = mkDashDefault true;
           dbus = {
-            enable = true;
+            enable = mkDashDefault true;
           };
           avahi = {
-            enable = true;
-            nssmdns4 = true;
-            openFirewall = true;
+            enable = mkDashDefault true;
+            nssmdns4 = mkDashDefault true;
+            openFirewall = mkDashDefault true;
           };
         }
         // config.mods.basePackages.specialServices
@@ -102,23 +104,23 @@
       then
         {
           nix-ld = {
-            enable = true;
+            enable = mkDashDefault true;
             libraries = with pkgs; [
               jdk
               zlib
             ];
           };
           direnv = {
-            package = pkgs.direnv;
-            silent = false;
-            loadInNixShell = true;
-            direnvrcExtra = "";
+            package = mkDashDefault pkgs.direnv;
+            silent = mkDashDefault false;
+            loadInNixShell = mkDashDefault true;
+            direnvrcExtra = mkDashDefault "";
             nix-direnv = {
-              enable = true;
-              package = pkgs.nix-direnv;
+              enable = mkDashDefault true;
+              package = mkDashDefault pkgs.nix-direnv;
             };
           };
-          gnupg.agent.enable = true;
+          gnupg.agent.enable = mkDashDefault true;
         }
         // config.mods.basePackages.specialPrograms
       else config.mods.basePackages.specialPrograms;
diff --git a/modules/programs/hyprland/hyprland.nix b/modules/programs/hyprland/hyprland.nix
index 9ba4c3e..c6ce857 100644
--- a/modules/programs/hyprland/hyprland.nix
+++ b/modules/programs/hyprland/hyprland.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {
+  mkDashDefault,
   config,
   lib,
   options,
@@ -297,7 +298,7 @@ in {
 
                 cursor = {
                   enable_hyprcursor = true;
-                  no_hardware_cursors = lib.mkDefault config.mods.gpu.nvidia.enable;
+                  no_hardware_cursors = mkDashDefault config.mods.gpu.nvidia.enable;
                   # done with nix, this would break the current setup otherwise
                   sync_gsettings_theme = false;
                 };