diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py
index 75921131d..3e43e70c7 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py
@@ -9,12 +9,10 @@ from clan_cli.arg_actions import AppendOptionAction
 from clan_cli.inventory import Meta, load_inventory, save_inventory
 
 from ..cmd import CmdOut, run
+from ..dirs import clan_templates
 from ..errors import ClanError
 from ..nix import nix_command, nix_shell
 
-default_template_url: str = "git+https://git.clan.lol/clan/clan-core"
-minimal_template_url: str = "git+https://git.clan.lol/clan/clan-core#templates.minimal"
-
 
 @dataclass
 class CreateClanResponse:
@@ -33,7 +31,7 @@ class CreateOptions:
     # Metadata can be shown with `clan show`
     meta: Meta | None = None
     # URL to the template to use. Defaults to the "minimal" template
-    template_url: str = minimal_template_url
+    template: str = "minimal"
 
 
 def git_command(directory: Path, *args: str) -> list[str]:
@@ -43,7 +41,7 @@ def git_command(directory: Path, *args: str) -> list[str]:
 @API.register
 def create_clan(options: CreateOptions) -> CreateClanResponse:
     directory = Path(options.directory).resolve()
-    template_url = options.template_url
+    template_url = f"{clan_templates()}#{options.template}"
     if not directory.exists():
         directory.mkdir()
     else:
@@ -112,10 +110,11 @@ def create_clan(options: CreateOptions) -> CreateClanResponse:
 
 def register_create_parser(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
     parser.add_argument(
-        "--url",
+        "--template",
         type=str,
-        help="url to the clan template",
-        default=default_template_url,
+        choices=["default", "minimal"],
+        help="Clan template name",
+        default="default",
     )
 
     parser.add_argument(
@@ -135,7 +134,7 @@ def register_create_parser(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
         create_clan(
             CreateOptions(
                 directory=args.path,
-                template_url=args.url,
+                template=args.template,
             )
         )
 
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py
index 9b687aa43..9249eab21 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ import sys
 import urllib
 from pathlib import Path
 
+from .errors import ClanError
+
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -41,6 +43,18 @@ def find_toplevel(top_level_files: list[str]) -> Path | None:
     return None
 
 
+def clan_templates() -> Path:
+    template_path = module_root().parent.parent / "templates"
+    if template_path.exists():
+        return template_path
+    else:
+        template_path = module_root() / "templates"
+        if not template_path.exists():
+            msg = f"BUG! clan core not found at {template_path}. This is an issue with packaging the cli"
+            raise ClanError(msg)
+        return template_path
+
+
 def user_config_dir() -> Path:
     if sys.platform == "win32":
         return Path(os.getenv("APPDATA", os.path.expanduser("~\\AppData\\Roaming\\")))
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/default.nix b/pkgs/clan-cli/default.nix
index a1968f850..8a29c9a0d 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/default.nix
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/default.nix
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ let
     rm $out/clan_cli/config/jsonschema
     ln -sf ${nixpkgs'} $out/clan_cli/nixpkgs
     cp -r ${../../lib/jsonschema} $out/clan_cli/config/jsonschema
+    cp -r ${../../templates} $out/clan_cli/templates
 
     ${classgen}/bin/classgen ${inventory-schema}/schema.json $out/clan_cli/inventory/classes.py
   '';
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/pyproject.toml b/pkgs/clan-cli/pyproject.toml
index 28fef0831..ee6d46137 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/pyproject.toml
@@ -18,7 +18,14 @@ Repository = "https://git.clan.lol/clan/clan-core"
 exclude = ["clan_cli.nixpkgs*", "result"]
 
 [tool.setuptools.package-data]
-clan_cli = ["py.typed", "config/jsonschema/*", "webui/assets/**/*", "vms/mimetypes/**/*", "**/allowed-programs.json"]
+clan_cli = [
+  "**/allowed-programs.json",
+  "config/jsonschema/*",
+  "py.typed",
+  "templates/**/*",
+  "vms/mimetypes/**/*",
+  "webui/assets/**/*",
+]
 
 [tool.pytest.ini_options]
 testpaths = "tests"
diff --git a/templates/flake-module.nix b/templates/flake-module.nix
index e48375b57..1caecf690 100644
--- a/templates/flake-module.nix
+++ b/templates/flake-module.nix
@@ -1,35 +1,26 @@
 { self, inputs, ... }:
 {
-  flake.templates = {
-    new-clan = {
-      description = "Initialize a new clan flake";
-      path = ./new-clan;
-    };
-    default = self.templates.new-clan;
-    minimal = {
-      description = "for clans managed via (G)UI";
-      path = ./minimal;
-    };
-  };
-  flake.checks.x86_64-linux.template-minimal =
-    let
-      path = self.templates.minimal.path;
-      initialized = inputs.nixpkgs.legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.runCommand "minimal-clan-flake" { } ''
-        mkdir $out
-        cp -r ${path}/* $out
-        mkdir -p $out/machines/foo
-        echo '{ "nixpkgs": { "hostPlatform": "x86_64-linux" } }' > $out/machines/foo/settings.json
-      '';
-      evaled = (import "${initialized}/flake.nix").outputs {
-        self = evaled // {
-          outPath = initialized;
+  flake = (import ./flake.nix).outputs {} // {
+    checks.x86_64-linux.template-minimal =
+      let
+        path = self.templates.minimal.path;
+        initialized = inputs.nixpkgs.legacyPackages.x86_64-linux.runCommand "minimal-clan-flake" { } ''
+          mkdir $out
+          cp -r ${path}/* $out
+          mkdir -p $out/machines/foo
+          echo '{ "nixpkgs": { "hostPlatform": "x86_64-linux" } }' > $out/machines/foo/settings.json
+        '';
+        evaled = (import "${initialized}/flake.nix").outputs {
+          self = evaled // {
+            outPath = initialized;
+          };
+          clan-core = self;
         };
-        clan-core = self;
+      in
+      {
+        type = "derivation";
+        name = "minimal-clan-flake-check";
+        inherit (evaled.nixosConfigurations.foo.config.system.build.vm) drvPath outPath;
       };
-    in
-    {
-      type = "derivation";
-      name = "minimal-clan-flake-check";
-      inherit (evaled.nixosConfigurations.foo.config.system.build.vm) drvPath outPath;
-    };
+  };
 }
diff --git a/templates/flake.nix b/templates/flake.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..438d8ab54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/flake.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+{
+  outputs =
+    { ... }:
+    {
+      templates = {
+        default = {
+          description = "Initialize a new clan flake";
+          path = ./new-clan;
+        };
+        minimal = {
+          description = "for clans managed via (G)UI";
+          path = ./minimal;
+        };
+      };
+    };
+}