diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/inspect.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/inspect.py
index 51ffffb19..89ffc13b3 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/inspect.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/inspect.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from clan_lib.nix import (
     nix_metadata,
 )
 
-from clan_cli.machines.list import list_machines
+from clan_cli.machines.list import list_full_machines
 from clan_cli.vms.inspect import VmConfig, inspect_vm
 
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ def inspect_flake(flake_url: str | Path, machine_name: str) -> FlakeConfig:
     system = config["system"]
 
     # Check if the machine exists
-    machines: dict[str, Machine] = list_machines(Flake(str(flake_url)))
+    machines: dict[str, Machine] = list_full_machines(Flake(str(flake_url)))
     if machine_name not in machines:
         msg = f"Machine {machine_name} not found in {flake_url}. Available machines: {', '.join(machines)}"
         raise ClanError(msg)
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/facts/generate.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/facts/generate.py
index b1eb038d2..4751fe56a 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/facts/generate.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/facts/generate.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from clan_cli.completions import (
     complete_machines,
     complete_services_for_machine,
 )
-from clan_cli.machines.list import list_machines
+from clan_cli.machines.list import list_full_machines
 
 from .check import check_secrets
 from .public_modules import FactStoreBase
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ def generate_command(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
         msg = "Could not find clan flake toplevel directory"
         raise ClanError(msg)
 
-    machines: list[Machine] = list(list_machines(args.flake).values())
+    machines: list[Machine] = list(list_full_machines(args.flake).values())
     if len(args.machines) > 0:
         machines = list(
             filter(
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
index 9aa8359f8..3155b2d6a 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ from clan_lib.templates import (
 )
 
 from clan_cli.completions import add_dynamic_completer, complete_tags
-from clan_cli.machines.list import list_machines
+from clan_cli.machines.list import list_full_machines
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def create_machine(
     log.info(f"Found template '{template.name}' in '{template.input_variant}'")
 
     machine_name = opts.machine.get("name")
-    if opts.template_name in list_machines(
+    if opts.template_name in list_full_machines(
         Flake(str(clan_dir))
     ) and not opts.machine.get("name"):
         msg = f"{opts.template_name} is already defined in {clan_dir}"
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/list.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/list.py
index 25952eaf4..582dd6f0d 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/list.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/list.py
@@ -9,10 +9,9 @@ from clan_lib.api.modules import parse_frontmatter
 from clan_lib.dirs import specific_machine_dir
 from clan_lib.errors import ClanError
 from clan_lib.flake import Flake
-from clan_lib.machines.actions import get_machine
+from clan_lib.machines.actions import get_machine, list_machines
 from clan_lib.machines.machines import Machine
 from clan_lib.nix_models.clan import InventoryMachine
-from clan_lib.persist.inventory_store import InventoryStore
 
 from clan_cli.completions import add_dynamic_completer, complete_tags
 from clan_cli.machines.hardware import HardwareConfig
@@ -20,17 +19,20 @@ from clan_cli.machines.hardware import HardwareConfig
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def list_machines(
+def list_full_machines(
     flake: Flake, nix_options: list[str] | None = None
 ) -> dict[str, Machine]:
-    inventory_store = InventoryStore(flake=flake)
-    inventory = inventory_store.read()
-    res = {}
+    """
+    Like `list_machines`, but returns a full 'machine' instance for each machine.
+    """
+    machines = list_machines(flake)
+
+    res: dict[str, Machine] = {}
 
     if nix_options is None:
         nix_options = []
 
-    for inv_machine in inventory.get("machines", {}).values():
+    for inv_machine in machines.values():
         name = inv_machine.get("name")
         # Technically, this should not happen, but we are defensive here.
         if name is None:
@@ -53,7 +55,7 @@ def query_machines_by_tags(flake: Flake, tags: list[str]) -> dict[str, Machine]:
     then only machines that have those respective tags specified will be listed.
     It is an intersection of the tags and machines.
     """
-    machines = list_machines(flake)
+    machines = list_full_machines(flake)
 
     filtered_machines = {}
     for machine in machines.values():
@@ -113,7 +115,7 @@ def list_command(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
         for name in query_machines_by_tags(flake, args.tags):
             print(name)
     else:
-        for name in list_machines(flake):
+        for name in list_full_machines(flake):
             print(name)
 
 
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/update.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/update.py
index ee8071757..4e1dd8912 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/update.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/update.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from clan_cli.completions import (
 )
 from clan_cli.facts.generate import generate_facts
 from clan_cli.facts.upload import upload_secrets
-from clan_cli.machines.list import list_machines
+from clan_cli.machines.list import list_full_machines
 from clan_cli.vars.generate import generate_vars
 from clan_cli.vars.upload import upload_secret_vars
 
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ def update_command(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
         machines: list[Machine] = []
         # if no machines are passed, we will update all machines
         selected_machines = (
-            args.machines if args.machines else list_machines(args.flake).keys()
+            args.machines if args.machines else list_full_machines(args.flake).keys()
         )
 
         if args.target_host is not None and len(args.machines) > 1:
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/generate.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/generate.py
index 1356f42a7..efc2a59dc 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/generate.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/generate.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from clan_cli.completions import (
     complete_machines,
     complete_services_for_machine,
 )
-from clan_cli.machines.list import list_machines
+from clan_cli.machines.list import list_full_machines
 from clan_cli.vars._types import StoreBase
 from clan_cli.vars.migration import check_can_migrate, migrate_files
 from clan_lib.api import API
@@ -511,7 +511,7 @@ def generate_command(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
         msg = "Could not find clan flake toplevel directory"
         raise ClanError(msg)
 
-    machines: list[Machine] = list(list_machines(args.flake, args.option).values())
+    machines: list[Machine] = list(list_full_machines(args.flake, args.option).values())
 
     if len(args.machines) > 0:
         machines = list(
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/machines/actions.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/machines/actions.py
index 2a42bb0e7..d9879dcfb 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/machines/actions.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_lib/machines/actions.py
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ def list_machines(flake: Flake) -> dict[str, InventoryMachine]:
     inventory_store = InventoryStore(flake=flake)
     inventory = inventory_store.read()
 
-    machine = inventory.get("machines", {})
-    return machine
+    machines = inventory.get("machines", {})
+    return machines
 
 
 @API.register