diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/list.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/list.py
index 59f10af58..5a7b7d401 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/list.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/list.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import importlib
 import logging
 
 from clan_cli.api import API
+from clan_cli.clan_uri import FlakeId
 from clan_cli.completions import add_dynamic_completer, complete_machines
 from clan_cli.errors import ClanError
 from clan_cli.machines.machines import Machine
@@ -57,8 +58,8 @@ def _get_previous_value(
 
 
 @API.register
-# TODO: use machine_name
-def get_prompts(machine: Machine) -> list[Generator]:
+def get_prompts(base_dir: str, machine_name: str) -> list[Generator]:
+    machine = Machine(name=machine_name, flake=FlakeId(base_dir))
     generators: list[Generator] = machine.vars_generators
     for generator in generators:
         for prompt in generator.prompts:
@@ -70,7 +71,10 @@ def get_prompts(machine: Machine) -> list[Generator]:
 # TODO: for missing prompts, default to existing values
 # TODO: raise error if mandatory prompt not provided
 @API.register
-def set_prompts(machine: Machine, updates: list[GeneratorUpdate]) -> None:
+def set_prompts(
+    base_dir: str, machine_name: str, updates: list[GeneratorUpdate]
+) -> None:
+    machine = Machine(name=machine_name, flake=FlakeId(base_dir))
     for update in updates:
         for generator in machine.vars_generators:
             if generator.name == update.generator:
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_vars.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_vars.py
index 2a3714960..c7aee65ed 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_vars.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_vars.py
@@ -597,23 +597,24 @@ def test_api_set_prompts(
     flake.refresh()
 
     monkeypatch.chdir(flake.path)
-    machine = Machine(name="my_machine", flake=FlakeId(str(flake.path)))
+    params = {"machine_name": "my_machine", "base_dir": str(flake.path)}
 
     set_prompts(
-        machine,
-        [
+        **params,
+        updates=[
             GeneratorUpdate(
                 generator="my_generator",
                 prompt_values={"prompt1": "input1"},
             )
         ],
     )
+    machine = Machine(name="my_machine", flake=FlakeId(str(flake.path)))
     store = in_repo.FactStore(machine)
     assert store.exists(Generator("my_generator"), "prompt1")
     assert store.get(Generator("my_generator"), "prompt1").decode() == "input1"
     set_prompts(
-        machine,
-        [
+        **params,
+        updates=[
             GeneratorUpdate(
                 generator="my_generator",
                 prompt_values={"prompt1": "input2"},
@@ -622,7 +623,7 @@ def test_api_set_prompts(
     )
     assert store.get(Generator("my_generator"), "prompt1").decode() == "input2"
 
-    api_prompts = get_prompts(machine)
+    api_prompts = get_prompts(**params)
     assert len(api_prompts) == 1
     assert api_prompts[0].name == "my_generator"
     assert api_prompts[0].prompts[0].name == "prompt1"