diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/nix/__init__.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/nix/__init__.py
index bd02e9349..3d9b7ec8a 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/nix/__init__.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/nix/__init__.py
@@ -119,6 +119,13 @@ class Packages:
         else:
             allowed_packages = cls.allowed_packages
 
+        if "#" in package:
+            log.warning(
+                "Allowing package %s for debugging as it looks like a flakeref",
+                package,
+            )
+            return
+
         if package not in allowed_packages:
             msg = f"Package not allowed: '{package}', allowed packages are:\n{'\n'.join(allowed_packages)}"
             raise ClanError(msg)
@@ -133,6 +140,9 @@ class Packages:
                 os.environ.get("CLAN_PROVIDED_PACKAGES", "").split(":")
             )
 
+        if "#" in program:
+            return True
+
         if program in cls.static_packages:
             if shutil.which(program) is None:
                 log.warning(
@@ -157,7 +167,7 @@ def nix_shell(packages: list[str], cmd: list[str]) -> list[str]:
         f"nixpkgs#{package}"
         for package in packages
         if not Packages.is_provided(package)
-    ]
+    ] + [package for package in packages if "#" in package]
     if not missing_packages:
         return cmd
     return [