diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
index 3155b2d6a..3ee7a5233 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@ from clan_lib.persist.util import set_value_by_path
 from clan_lib.templates import (
     InputPrio,
     TemplateName,
-    copy_from_nixstore,
     get_template,
 )
+from clan_lib.templates.filesystem import copy_from_nixstore
 
 from clan_cli.completions import add_dynamic_completer, complete_tags
 from clan_cli.machines.list import list_full_machines
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_clan_nix_attrset.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_clan_nix_attrset.py
index a732c69f9..8cda0d002 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_clan_nix_attrset.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_clan_nix_attrset.py
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ from clan_lib.templates import (
     ClanExports,
     InputName,
     TemplateName,
-    copy_from_nixstore,
     get_clan_nix_attrset,
     get_template,
     list_templates,
 )
+from clan_lib.templates.filesystem import copy_from_nixstore
 
 
 # Function to write clan attributes to a file
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/clan/create.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/clan/create.py
index fa104c562..ddea36969 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/clan/create.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/clan/create.py
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ from clan_lib.persist.inventory_store import InventorySnapshot, InventoryStore
 from clan_lib.templates import (
     InputPrio,
     TemplateName,
-    copy_from_nixstore,
     get_template,
 )
+from clan_lib.templates.filesystem import copy_from_nixstore
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/templates/__init__.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/templates/__init__.py
index 6e880ec7a..4b30131e5 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/templates/__init__.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/templates/__init__.py
@@ -1,15 +1,11 @@
 import logging
 from dataclasses import dataclass, field
-from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, Literal, NewType, TypedDict, cast
 
-from clan_lib.cmd import run
 from clan_lib.dirs import clan_templates
 from clan_lib.errors import ClanCmdError, ClanError
 from clan_lib.flake import Flake
-from clan_lib.nix import (
-    nix_command,
-)
+from clan_lib.templates.filesystem import realize_nix_path
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -170,11 +166,6 @@ class InputPrio:
         return InputPrio(prioritize_self=True, input_names=input_names)
 
 
-def copy_from_nixstore(src: Path, dest: Path) -> None:
-    run(["cp", "-r", str(src), str(dest)])
-    run(["chmod", "-R", "u+w", str(dest)])
-
-
 @dataclass
 class TemplateList:
     inputs: dict[InputName, dict[TemplateName, Template]] = field(default_factory=dict)
@@ -205,28 +196,6 @@ def list_templates(
     return result
 
 
-def realize_nix_path(flake: Flake, nix_store_path: str) -> None:
-    """
-    Downloads / realizes a nix path into the nix store
-    """
-
-    if Path(nix_store_path).exists():
-        return
-
-    cmd = [
-        "flake",
-        "prefetch",
-        "--inputs-from",
-        flake.identifier,
-        "--option",
-        "flake-registry",
-        "",
-        nix_store_path,
-    ]
-
-    run(nix_command(cmd))
-
-
 def get_template(
     template_name: TemplateName,
     template_type: TemplateType,
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/templates/filesystem.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/templates/filesystem.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1e18b57c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/templates/filesystem.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from clan_lib.flake import Flake
+from clan_lib.nix import (
+    nix_command,
+    run,
+)
+
+
+def realize_nix_path(clan_dir: Flake, nix_path: str) -> None:
+    """
+    Downloads / realizes a nix path into the nix store
+    """
+
+    if Path(nix_path).exists():
+        return
+
+    cmd = [
+        "flake",
+        "prefetch",
+        "--inputs-from",
+        clan_dir.identifier,
+        "--option",
+        "flake-registry",
+        "",
+        nix_path,
+    ]
+
+    run(nix_command(cmd))
+
+
+def copy_from_nixstore(src: Path, dest: Path) -> None:
+    """
+    Copy a directory from the nix store to a destination path.
+    Uses `cp -r` to recursively copy the directory.
+    Ensures the destination directory is writable by the user.
+    """
+    run(["cp", "-r", str(src), str(dest)])
+    run(["chmod", "-R", "u+w", str(dest)])