diff --git a/share/common.nix b/share/common.nix
index abfbff3..dda705f 100644
--- a/share/common.nix
+++ b/share/common.nix
@@ -257,11 +257,18 @@ in
 
   # package manager config
   nix = {
-    # don't hog all cores, might OOM, too
-    settings.max-jobs = 4;
+    # general settings
+    settings = {
+      # don't hog all cores, might OOM, too
+      cores = 2;
+      max-jobs = 2;
 
-    # auto optimize the store
-    settings.auto-optimise-store = true;
+      # auto optimize the store
+      auto-optimise-store = true;
+
+      # enable new stuff
+      experimental-features = "nix-command flakes";
+    };
 
     # cleanup the store from time to time
     gc = {
@@ -270,9 +277,6 @@ in
       options = "--delete-older-than 7d";
     };
 
-    # enable new stuff
-    settings.experimental-features = "nix-command flakes";
-
     # https://github.com/nix-community/nix-direnv
     extraOptions = ''
       keep-outputs = true