diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py
index 698b36906..8d224474a 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 
 from clan_cli.api import API
 from clan_cli.cmd import CmdOut, run
-from clan_cli.dirs import clan_templates
+from clan_cli.dirs import TemplateType, clan_templates
 from clan_cli.errors import ClanError
 from clan_cli.inventory import Inventory, init_inventory
 from clan_cli.nix import nix_command, nix_shell
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def git_command(directory: Path, *args: str) -> list[str]:
 @API.register
 def create_clan(options: CreateOptions) -> CreateClanResponse:
     directory = Path(options.directory).resolve()
-    template_url = f"{clan_templates()}#{options.template}"
+    template_url = f"{clan_templates(TemplateType.CLAN)}#{options.template}"
     if not directory.exists():
         directory.mkdir()
     else:
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py
index a39f64044..09b777727 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/dirs.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import logging
 import os
 import sys
 import urllib
+from enum import Enum
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from clan_cli.clan_uri import FlakeId
@@ -45,11 +46,17 @@ def find_toplevel(top_level_files: list[str]) -> Path | None:
     return None
 
 
-def clan_templates() -> Path:
-    template_path = module_root().parent.parent.parent / "templates"
+class TemplateType(Enum):
+    CLAN = "clan"
+
+
+def clan_templates(template_type: TemplateType) -> Path:
+    template_path = (
+        module_root().parent.parent.parent / "templates" / template_type.value
+    )
     if template_path.exists():
         return template_path
-    template_path = module_root() / "templates"
+    template_path = module_root() / "templates" / template_type.value
     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)
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
index fc73cac93..3c95d9fa3 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from clan_cli.clan.create import git_command
 from clan_cli.clan_uri import FlakeId
 from clan_cli.cmd import Log, run
 from clan_cli.completions import add_dynamic_completer, complete_tags
-from clan_cli.dirs import clan_templates, get_clan_flake_toplevel_or_env
+from clan_cli.dirs import TemplateType, clan_templates, get_clan_flake_toplevel_or_env
 from clan_cli.errors import ClanError
 from clan_cli.inventory import Machine as InventoryMachine
 from clan_cli.inventory import (
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ def create_machine(opts: CreateOptions) -> None:
         raise ClanError(msg, description=description)
 
     if not opts.template_src:
-        opts.template_src = FlakeId(str(clan_templates()))
+        opts.template_src = FlakeId(str(clan_templates(TemplateType.CLAN)))
 
     if not opts.template_name:
         opts.template_name = "new-machine"