diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1d143b6d..4754feb4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -2344,7 +2344,7 @@ some recommended dependencies are enabled by default; [override the package](htt
 
 ## nixos module
 
-for this setup, you will need a [flake-enabled](https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes) installation of NixOS.
+for [flake-enabled](https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes) installations of NixOS:
 
 ```nix
 {
@@ -2371,6 +2371,33 @@ for this setup, you will need a [flake-enabled](https://nixos.wiki/wiki/Flakes)
 }
 ```
 
+if you don't use a flake in your configuration, you can use other dependency management tools like [npins](https://github.com/andir/npins), [niv](https://github.com/nmattia/niv), or even plain [`fetchTarball`](https://nix.dev/manual/nix/stable/language/builtins#builtins-fetchTarball), like so:
+
+```nix
+{ pkgs, ... }:
+
+let
+  # npins example, adjust for your setup. copyparty should be a path to the downloaded repo
+  # for niv, just replace the npins folder import with the sources.nix file
+  copyparty = (import ./npins).copyparty;
+
+  # or with fetchTarball:
+  copyparty = fetchTarball "https://github.com/9001/copyparty/archive/hovudstraum.tar.gz";
+in
+
+{
+  # load the copyparty NixOS module
+  imports = [ "${copyparty}/contrib/nixos/modules/copyparty.nix" ];
+
+  # add the copyparty overlay to expose the package to the module
+  nixpkgs.overlays = [ "${copyparty}/contrib/package/nix/overlay.nix" ];
+  # (optional) install the package globally
+  environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.copyparty ];
+  # configure the copyparty module
+  services.copyparty.enable = true;
+}
+```
+
 copyparty on NixOS is configured via `services.copyparty` options, for example:
 ```nix
 services.copyparty = {
diff --git a/contrib/package/nix/overlay.nix b/contrib/package/nix/overlay.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0ea0f1bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/package/nix/overlay.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+final: prev: rec {
+  copyparty = final.python3.pkgs.callPackage ./copyparty {
+    ffmpeg = final.ffmpeg-full;
+  };
+
+  partyfuse = prev.callPackage ./partyfuse {
+    inherit copyparty;
+  };
+
+  u2c = prev.callPackage ./u2c {
+    inherit copyparty;
+  };
+}
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 5f39d605..e3261a39 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -12,30 +12,13 @@
     }:
     {
       nixosModules.default = ./contrib/nixos/modules/copyparty.nix;
-      overlays.default = final: prev: rec {
-        copyparty = final.python3.pkgs.callPackage ./contrib/package/nix/copyparty {
-          ffmpeg = final.ffmpeg-full;
-        };
-
-        partyfuse = prev.callPackage ./contrib/package/nix/partyfuse {
-          inherit copyparty;
-        };
-
-        u2c = prev.callPackage ./contrib/package/nix/u2c {
-          inherit copyparty;
-        };
-      };
+      overlays.default = import ./contrib/package/nix/overlay.nix;
     }
     // flake-utils.lib.eachDefaultSystem (
       system:
       let
-        pkgs = import nixpkgs {
-          inherit system;
-          config = {
-            allowAliases = false;
-          };
-          overlays = [ self.overlays.default ];
-        };
+        pkgs = nixpkgs.legacyPackages.${system};
+        appliedOverlay = self.overlays.default pkgs pkgs;
       in
       {
         # check that copyparty builds with all optionals turned on
@@ -52,7 +35,7 @@
         };
 
         packages = {
-          inherit (pkgs)
+          inherit (appliedOverlay)
             copyparty
             partyfuse
             u2c