diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_vars.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_vars.py
index 21b431eb9..98482e17e 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_vars.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/tests/test_vars.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from clan_cli.tests.helpers import cli
 from clan_cli.vars.check import check_vars
 from clan_cli.vars.generate import (
     Generator,
+    GeneratorKey,
     create_machine_vars_interactive,
     get_generators,
     run_generators,
@@ -53,39 +54,53 @@ def test_dependencies_as_files(temp_dir: Path) -> None:
 
 
 def test_required_generators() -> None:
-    gen_1 = Generator(name="gen_1", dependencies=[])
-    gen_2 = Generator(name="gen_2", dependencies=["gen_1"])
-    gen_2a = Generator(name="gen_2a", dependencies=["gen_2"])
-    gen_2b = Generator(name="gen_2b", dependencies=["gen_2"])
+    # Create generators with proper machine context
+    machine_name = "test_machine"
+    gen_1 = Generator(name="gen_1", dependencies=[], machine=machine_name)
+    gen_2 = Generator(
+        name="gen_2",
+        dependencies=[gen_1.key],
+        machine=machine_name,
+    )
+    gen_2a = Generator(
+        name="gen_2a",
+        dependencies=[gen_2.key],
+        machine=machine_name,
+    )
+    gen_2b = Generator(
+        name="gen_2b",
+        dependencies=[gen_2.key],
+        machine=machine_name,
+    )
 
     gen_1.exists = True
     gen_2.exists = False
     gen_2a.exists = False
     gen_2b.exists = True
-    generators = {
-        generator.name: generator for generator in [gen_1, gen_2, gen_2a, gen_2b]
+    generators: dict[GeneratorKey, Generator] = {
+        generator.key: generator for generator in [gen_1, gen_2, gen_2a, gen_2b]
     }
 
     def generator_names(generator: list[Generator]) -> list[str]:
         return [gen.name for gen in generator]
 
-    assert generator_names(requested_closure(["gen_1"], generators)) == [
+    assert generator_names(requested_closure([gen_1.key], generators)) == [
         "gen_1",
         "gen_2",
         "gen_2a",
         "gen_2b",
     ]
-    assert generator_names(requested_closure(["gen_2"], generators)) == [
+    assert generator_names(requested_closure([gen_2.key], generators)) == [
         "gen_2",
         "gen_2a",
         "gen_2b",
     ]
-    assert generator_names(requested_closure(["gen_2a"], generators)) == [
+    assert generator_names(requested_closure([gen_2a.key], generators)) == [
         "gen_2",
         "gen_2a",
         "gen_2b",
     ]
-    assert generator_names(requested_closure(["gen_2b"], generators)) == [
+    assert generator_names(requested_closure([gen_2b.key], generators)) == [
         "gen_2",
         "gen_2a",
         "gen_2b",
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/generate.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/generate.py
index eb91dd58c..db358c9ad 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/generate.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/generate.py
@@ -26,10 +26,7 @@ from clan_lib.machines.list import list_full_machines
 from clan_lib.nix import nix_config, nix_shell, nix_test_store
 
 from .check import check_vars
-from .graph import (
-    minimal_closure,
-    requested_closure,
-)
+from .graph import minimal_closure, requested_closure
 from .prompt import Prompt, ask
 from .var import Var
 
@@ -40,19 +37,34 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from clan_lib.machines.machines import Machine
 
 
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class GeneratorKey:
+    """A key uniquely identifying a generator within a clan."""
+
+    machine: str | None
+    name: str
+
+
 @dataclass
 class Generator:
     name: str
     files: list[Var] = field(default_factory=list)
     share: bool = False
     prompts: list[Prompt] = field(default_factory=list)
-    dependencies: list[str] = field(default_factory=list)
+    dependencies: list[GeneratorKey] = field(default_factory=list)
 
     migrate_fact: str | None = None
 
     machine: str | None = None
     _flake: "Flake | None" = None
 
+    @property
+    def key(self) -> GeneratorKey:
+        return GeneratorKey(machine=self.machine, name=self.name)
+
+    def __hash__(self) -> int:
+        return hash(self.key)
+
     @cached_property
     def exists(self) -> bool:
         assert self.machine is not None
@@ -124,7 +136,10 @@ class Generator:
                 name=gen_name,
                 share=gen_data["share"],
                 files=files,
-                dependencies=gen_data["dependencies"],
+                dependencies=[
+                    GeneratorKey(machine=machine_name, name=dep)
+                    for dep in gen_data["dependencies"]
+                ],
                 migrate_fact=gen_data.get("migrateFact"),
                 prompts=prompts,
                 machine=machine_name,
@@ -217,22 +232,27 @@ def decrypt_dependencies(
 
     result: dict[str, dict[str, bytes]] = {}
 
-    for generator_name in set(generator.dependencies):
-        result[generator_name] = {}
+    for dep_key in set(generator.dependencies):
+        # For now, we only support dependencies from the same machine
+        if dep_key.machine != machine.name:
+            msg = f"Cross-machine dependencies are not supported. Generator {generator.name} depends on {dep_key.name} from machine {dep_key.machine}"
+            raise ClanError(msg)
 
-        dep_generator = next(g for g in generators if g.name == generator_name)
+        result[dep_key.name] = {}
+
+        dep_generator = next((g for g in generators if g.name == dep_key.name), None)
         if dep_generator is None:
-            msg = f"Generator {generator_name} not found in machine {machine.name}"
+            msg = f"Generator {dep_key.name} not found in machine {machine.name}"
             raise ClanError(msg)
 
         dep_files = dep_generator.files
         for file in dep_files:
             if file.secret:
-                result[generator_name][file.name] = secret_vars_store.get(
+                result[dep_key.name][file.name] = secret_vars_store.get(
                     dep_generator, file.name
                 )
             else:
-                result[generator_name][file.name] = public_vars_store.get(
+                result[dep_key.name][file.name] = public_vars_store.get(
                     dep_generator, file.name
                 )
     return result
@@ -411,8 +431,8 @@ def _get_closure(
     from . import graph
 
     vars_generators = Generator.get_machine_generators(machine.name, machine.flake)
-    generators: dict[str, Generator] = {
-        generator.name: generator for generator in vars_generators
+    generators: dict[GeneratorKey, Generator] = {
+        generator.key: generator for generator in vars_generators
     }
 
     result_closure = []
@@ -423,9 +443,11 @@ def _get_closure(
             result_closure = graph.all_missing_closure(generators)
     # specific generator selected
     elif full_closure:
-        result_closure = requested_closure([generator_name], generators)
+        gen_key = GeneratorKey(machine=machine.name, name=generator_name)
+        result_closure = requested_closure([gen_key], generators)
     else:
-        result_closure = minimal_closure([generator_name], generators)
+        gen_key = GeneratorKey(machine=machine.name, name=generator_name)
+        result_closure = minimal_closure([gen_key], generators)
 
     if include_previous_values:
         for generator in result_closure:
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/graph.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/graph.py
index 32c9591c4..626db646c 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/graph.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/vars/graph.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 from clan_lib.errors import ClanError
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from .generate import Generator
+    from .generate import Generator, GeneratorKey
 
 
 class GeneratorNotFoundError(ClanError):
@@ -15,71 +15,78 @@ class GeneratorNotFoundError(ClanError):
 
 
 def missing_dependency_closure(
-    requested_generators: Iterable[str], generators: dict[str, Generator]
-) -> set[str]:
+    requested_generators: Iterable[GeneratorKey],
+    generators: dict[GeneratorKey, Generator],
+) -> set[GeneratorKey]:
     closure = set(requested_generators)
     # extend the graph to include all dependencies which are not on disk
     dep_closure = set()
     queue = list(closure)
     while queue:
-        gen_name = queue.pop(0)
+        gen_key = queue.pop(0)
 
-        if gen_name not in generators:
-            msg = f"Requested generator {gen_name} not found"
+        if gen_key not in generators:
+            msg = f"Requested generator {gen_key.name} not found"
             raise GeneratorNotFoundError(msg)
 
-        for dep in generators[gen_name].dependencies:
-            if dep not in closure and not generators[dep].exists:
-                dep_closure.add(dep)
-                queue.append(dep)
+        for dep_key in generators[gen_key].dependencies:
+            if (
+                dep_key not in closure
+                and dep_key in generators
+                and not generators[dep_key].exists
+            ):
+                dep_closure.add(dep_key)
+                queue.append(dep_key)
     return dep_closure
 
 
 def add_missing_dependencies(
-    requested_generators: Iterable[str], generators: dict
-) -> set[str]:
+    requested_generators: Iterable[GeneratorKey],
+    generators: dict[GeneratorKey, Generator],
+) -> set[GeneratorKey]:
     closure = set(requested_generators)
     return missing_dependency_closure(closure, generators) | closure
 
 
 def add_dependents(
-    requested_generators: Iterable[str], generators: dict[str, Generator]
-) -> set[str]:
+    requested_generators: Iterable[GeneratorKey],
+    generators: dict[GeneratorKey, Generator],
+) -> set[GeneratorKey]:
     closure = set(requested_generators)
     # build reverse dependency graph (graph of dependents)
-    dependents_graph: dict[str, set[str]] = {}
-    for gen_name, gen in generators.items():
-        for dep in gen.dependencies:
-            if dep not in dependents_graph:
-                dependents_graph[dep] = set()
-            dependents_graph[dep].add(gen_name)
+    dependents_graph: dict[GeneratorKey, set[GeneratorKey]] = {}
+    for gen_key, gen in generators.items():
+        for dep_key in gen.dependencies:
+            if dep_key not in dependents_graph:
+                dependents_graph[dep_key] = set()
+            dependents_graph[dep_key].add(gen_key)
     # extend the graph to include all dependents of the current closure
     queue = list(closure)
     while queue:
-        gen_name = queue.pop(0)
-        for dep in dependents_graph.get(gen_name, []):
-            if dep not in closure:
-                closure.add(dep)
-                queue.append(dep)
+        gen_key = queue.pop(0)
+        for dep_key in dependents_graph.get(gen_key, []):
+            if dep_key not in closure:
+                closure.add(dep_key)
+                queue.append(dep_key)
     return closure
 
 
 def toposort_closure(
-    _closure: Iterable[str], generators: dict[str, Generator]
+    _closure: Iterable[GeneratorKey], generators: dict[GeneratorKey, Generator]
 ) -> list[Generator]:
     closure = set(_closure)
     # return the topological sorted list of generators to execute
     final_dep_graph = {}
-    for gen_name in sorted(closure):
-        deps = set(generators[gen_name].dependencies) & closure
-        final_dep_graph[gen_name] = deps
+    for gen_key in sorted(closure, key=lambda k: (k.machine or "", k.name)):
+        deps = set(generators[gen_key].dependencies) & closure
+        final_dep_graph[gen_key] = deps
     sorter = TopologicalSorter(final_dep_graph)
     result = list(sorter.static_order())
-    return [generators[gen_name] for gen_name in result]
+    return [generators[gen_key] for gen_key in result]
 
 
 # all generators in topological order
-def full_closure(generators: dict[str, Generator]) -> list[Generator]:
+def full_closure(generators: dict[GeneratorKey, Generator]) -> list[Generator]:
     """
     From a set of generators, return all generators in topological order.
     This includes all dependencies and dependents of the generators.
@@ -89,7 +96,7 @@ def full_closure(generators: dict[str, Generator]) -> list[Generator]:
 
 
 # just the missing generators including their dependents
-def all_missing_closure(generators: dict[str, Generator]) -> list[Generator]:
+def all_missing_closure(generators: dict[GeneratorKey, Generator]) -> list[Generator]:
     """
     From a set of generators, return all incomplete generators in topological order.
 
@@ -97,14 +104,14 @@ def all_missing_closure(generators: dict[str, Generator]) -> list[Generator]:
     : A generator is missing if at least one of its files is missing.
     """
     # collect all generators that are missing from disk
-    closure = {gen_name for gen_name, gen in generators.items() if not gen.exists}
+    closure = {gen_key for gen_key, gen in generators.items() if not gen.exists}
     closure = add_dependents(closure, generators)
     return toposort_closure(closure, generators)
 
 
 # only a selected list of generators including their missing dependencies and their dependents
 def requested_closure(
-    requested_generators: list[str], generators: dict[str, Generator]
+    requested_generators: list[GeneratorKey], generators: dict[GeneratorKey, Generator]
 ) -> list[Generator]:
     closure = set(requested_generators)
     # extend the graph to include all dependencies which are not on disk
@@ -116,12 +123,12 @@ def requested_closure(
 # just enough to ensure that the list of selected generators are in a consistent state.
 # empty if nothing is missing.
 def minimal_closure(
-    requested_generators: list[str], generators: dict[str, Generator]
+    requested_generators: list[GeneratorKey], generators: dict[GeneratorKey, Generator]
 ) -> list[Generator]:
     closure = set(requested_generators)
     final_closure = missing_dependency_closure(closure, generators)
     # add requested generators if not already exist
-    for gen_name in closure:
-        if not generators[gen_name].exists:
-            final_closure.add(gen_name)
+    for gen_key in closure:
+        if not generators[gen_key].exists:
+            final_closure.add(gen_key)
     return toposort_closure(final_closure, generators)