diff --git a/configuration/boot-environment.nix b/configuration/boot-environment.nix
index ecc584069489..dfab2b61670c 100644
--- a/configuration/boot-environment.nix
+++ b/configuration/boot-environment.nix
@@ -103,171 +103,17 @@ rec {
 
 
   # The services (Upstart) configuration for the system.
-  upstartJobs = import ../upstart-jobs/gather.nix {
-    inherit (pkgs) runCommand;
-
-    jobs = map makeJob [
-      # Syslogd.
-      (import ../upstart-jobs/syslogd.nix {
-        inherit (pkgs) sysklogd;
-      })
-
-      # Hardware scan; loads modules for PCI devices.
-      (import ../upstart-jobs/hardware-scan.nix {
-        inherit (pkgs) kernel module_init_tools;
-      })
-      
-      # Network interfaces.
-      (import ../upstart-jobs/network-interfaces.nix {
-        inherit (pkgs) nettools kernel module_init_tools;
-      })
-      
-      # DHCP client.
-      (import ../upstart-jobs/dhclient.nix {
-        inherit (pkgs) nettools;
-        dhcp = pkgs.dhcpWrapper;
-      })
-
-      # SSH daemon.
-      (import ../upstart-jobs/sshd.nix {
-        inherit (pkgs) openssh;
-      })
-
-      # Nix daemon - required for multi-user Nix.
-      (import ../upstart-jobs/nix-daemon.nix {
-        inherit nix;
-      })
-
-      # X server.
-      (import ../upstart-jobs/xserver.nix {
-        inherit (pkgs) substituteAll;
-        inherit (pkgs.xorg) xorgserver xf86inputkeyboard xf86inputmouse xf86videovesa;
-      })
-
-      # Transparent TTY backgrounds.
-      (import ../upstart-jobs/tty-backgrounds.nix {
-        inherit (pkgs) stdenv splashutils;
-        backgrounds = splashThemes.ttyBackgrounds;
-      })
-
-      # Handles the maintenance/stalled event (single-user shell).
-      (import ../upstart-jobs/maintenance-shell.nix {
-        inherit (pkgs) bash;
-      })
-
-      # Ctrl-alt-delete action.
-      (import ../upstart-jobs/ctrl-alt-delete.nix)
-
-    ]
-
-    # Handles the reboot/halt events.
-    ++ (map
-      (event: makeJob (import ../upstart-jobs/halt.nix {
-        inherit (pkgs) bash utillinux;
-        inherit event;
-      }))
-      ["reboot" "halt" "system-halt" "power-off"]
-    )
-    
-    # The terminals on ttyX.
-    ++ (map 
-      (ttyNumber: makeJob (import ../upstart-jobs/mingetty.nix {
-        inherit (pkgs) mingetty pam_login;
-        inherit ttyNumber;
-      }))
-      [1 2 3 4 5 6]
-    )
-
-    # For the builtin logd job.
-    ++ [pkgs.upstart];
+  upstartJobs = import ./upstart.nix {
+    inherit pkgs nix splashThemes;
   };
 
 
-  etc = import ../helpers/make-etc.nix {
-    inherit (pkgs) stdenv;
-
-    configFiles = [
-
-      { # TCP/UDP port assignments.
-        source = pkgs.iana_etc + "/etc/services";
-        target = "services";
-      }
-
-      { # IP protocol numbers.
-        source = pkgs.iana_etc + "/etc/protocols";
-        target = "protocols";
-      }
-
-      { # Hostname-to-IP mappings.
-        source = ./etc/hosts;
-        target = "hosts";
-      }
-
-      { # Name Service Switch configuration file.  Required by the C library.
-        source = ./etc/nsswitch.conf;
-        target = "nsswitch.conf";
-      }
-
-      { # Configuration file for the system logging daemon.
-        source = ./etc/syslog.conf;
-        target = "syslog.conf";
-      }
-
-      { # Friendly greeting on the virtual consoles.
-        source = ./etc/issue;
-        target = "issue";
-      }
-
-      { # Configuration for pwdutils (login, passwd, useradd, etc.).
-        # You cannot login without it!
-        source = ./etc/login.defs;
-        target = "login.defs";
-      }
-
-      { # SSH daemon configuration.
-        source = ./etc/sshd_config;
-        target = "ssh/sshd_config";
-      }
-
-      { # The Upstart events defined above.
-        source = upstartJobs + "/etc/event.d";
-        target = "event.d";
-      }
-
-      { # Configuration for passwd and friends (e.g., hash algorithm
-        # for /etc/passwd).
-        source = ./etc/default/passwd;
-        target = "default/passwd";
-      }
-
-    ]
-
-    # A bunch of PAM configuration files for various programs.
-    ++ (map
-      (program:
-        { source = pkgs.substituteAll {
-            src = ./etc/pam.d + ("/" + program);
-            inherit (pkgs) pam_unix2;
-          };
-          target = "pam.d/" + program;
-        }
-      )
-      [
-        "login"
-        "sshd"
-        "passwd"
-        "useradd"
-        "other"
-      ]
-    );
+  # The static parts of /etc.
+  etc = import ./etc.nix {
+    inherit pkgs upstartJobs;
   };
 
   
-  makeJob = import ../upstart-jobs/make-job.nix {
-    inherit (pkgs) runCommand;
-  };
-
-
   setuidWrapper = import ../helpers/setuid {
     inherit (pkgs) stdenv;
     wrapperDir = "/var/setuid-wrappers";
diff --git a/configuration/etc.nix b/configuration/etc.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d8027c6873e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/configuration/etc.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+{pkgs, upstartJobs}:
+
+import ../helpers/make-etc.nix {
+  inherit (pkgs) stdenv;
+
+  configFiles = [
+
+    { # TCP/UDP port assignments.
+      source = pkgs.iana_etc + "/etc/services";
+      target = "services";
+    }
+
+    { # IP protocol numbers.
+      source = pkgs.iana_etc + "/etc/protocols";
+      target = "protocols";
+    }
+
+    { # Hostname-to-IP mappings.
+      source = ./etc/hosts;
+      target = "hosts";
+    }
+
+    { # Name Service Switch configuration file.  Required by the C library.
+      source = ./etc/nsswitch.conf;
+      target = "nsswitch.conf";
+    }
+
+    { # Configuration file for the system logging daemon.
+      source = ./etc/syslog.conf;
+      target = "syslog.conf";
+    }
+
+    { # Friendly greeting on the virtual consoles.
+      source = ./etc/issue;
+      target = "issue";
+    }
+
+    { # Configuration for pwdutils (login, passwd, useradd, etc.).
+      # You cannot login without it!
+      source = ./etc/login.defs;
+      target = "login.defs";
+    }
+
+    { # SSH daemon configuration.
+      source = ./etc/sshd_config;
+      target = "ssh/sshd_config";
+    }
+
+    { # The Upstart events defined above.
+      source = upstartJobs + "/etc/event.d";
+      target = "event.d";
+    }
+
+    { # Configuration for passwd and friends (e.g., hash algorithm
+      # for /etc/passwd).
+      source = ./etc/default/passwd;
+      target = "default/passwd";
+    }
+
+  ]
+
+  # A bunch of PAM configuration files for various programs.
+  ++ (map
+    (program:
+      { source = pkgs.substituteAll {
+          src = ./etc/pam.d + ("/" + program);
+          inherit (pkgs) pam_unix2;
+        };
+        target = "pam.d/" + program;
+      }
+    )
+    [
+      "login"
+      "sshd"
+      "passwd"
+      "useradd"
+      "other"
+    ]
+  );
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/configuration/upstart.nix b/configuration/upstart.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..8efa0a4ca755
--- /dev/null
+++ b/configuration/upstart.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+{pkgs, nix, splashThemes}:
+
+let 
+
+  makeJob = import ../upstart-jobs/make-job.nix {
+    inherit (pkgs) runCommand;
+  };
+
+in
+
+import ../upstart-jobs/gather.nix {
+  inherit (pkgs) runCommand;
+
+  jobs = map makeJob [
+    # Syslogd.
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/syslogd.nix {
+      inherit (pkgs) sysklogd;
+    })
+
+    # Hardware scan; loads modules for PCI devices.
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/hardware-scan.nix {
+      inherit (pkgs) kernel module_init_tools;
+    })
+      
+    # Network interfaces.
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/network-interfaces.nix {
+      inherit (pkgs) nettools kernel module_init_tools;
+    })
+      
+    # DHCP client.
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/dhclient.nix {
+      inherit (pkgs) nettools;
+      dhcp = pkgs.dhcpWrapper;
+    })
+
+    # SSH daemon.
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/sshd.nix {
+      inherit (pkgs) openssh;
+    })
+
+    # Nix daemon - required for multi-user Nix.
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/nix-daemon.nix {
+      inherit nix;
+    })
+
+    # X server.
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/xserver.nix {
+      inherit (pkgs) substituteAll;
+      inherit (pkgs.xorg) xorgserver xf86inputkeyboard xf86inputmouse xf86videovesa;
+    })
+
+    # Transparent TTY backgrounds.
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/tty-backgrounds.nix {
+      inherit (pkgs) stdenv splashutils;
+      backgrounds = splashThemes.ttyBackgrounds;
+    })
+
+    # Handles the maintenance/stalled event (single-user shell).
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/maintenance-shell.nix {
+      inherit (pkgs) bash;
+    })
+
+    # Ctrl-alt-delete action.
+    (import ../upstart-jobs/ctrl-alt-delete.nix)
+
+  ]
+
+  # Handles the reboot/halt events.
+  ++ (map
+    (event: makeJob (import ../upstart-jobs/halt.nix {
+      inherit (pkgs) bash utillinux;
+      inherit event;
+    }))
+    ["reboot" "halt" "system-halt" "power-off"]
+  )
+    
+  # The terminals on ttyX.
+  ++ (map 
+    (ttyNumber: makeJob (import ../upstart-jobs/mingetty.nix {
+      inherit (pkgs) mingetty pam_login;
+      inherit ttyNumber;
+    }))
+    [1 2 3 4 5 6]
+  )
+
+  # For the builtin logd job.
+  ++ [pkgs.upstart];
+}