diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/api.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/api.py
index e5015a3d..a859137b 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/api.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/api.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import json
 
+# some unused imports are needed to trigger registrations of api functions
+import clan_cli.config.schema  # noqa: F401
 from clan_cli.api import API
 
 
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/api/util.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/api/util.py
index 84f96691..c93c0520 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/api/util.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/api/util.py
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ def type_to_dict(t: Any, scope: str = "", type_map: dict[TypeVar, type] = {}) ->
             }
         if t is dict:
             raise JSchemaTypeError(
-                "Error: generic dict type not supported. Use dict[str. Any] instead"
+                "Error: generic dict type not supported. Use dict[str, Any] instead"
             )
 
         # Optional[T] gets internally transformed Union[T,NoneType]
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/config/schema.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/config/schema.py
index 88b95565..fc41f8b2 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/config/schema.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/config/schema.py
@@ -2,18 +2,22 @@ import json
 import os
 from pathlib import Path
 from tempfile import NamedTemporaryFile
+from typing import Any
 
+from clan_cli.api import API
 from clan_cli.cmd import run
 from clan_cli.dirs import nixpkgs_source
 from clan_cli.errors import ClanError, ClanHttpError
 from clan_cli.nix import nix_eval
 
 
+@API.register
 def machine_schema(
     flake_dir: Path,
-    config: dict,
+    config: dict[str, Any],
     clan_imports: list[str] | None = None,
-) -> dict:
+    option_path: list[str] = ["clan"],
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
     # use nix eval to lib.evalModules .#nixosConfigurations.<machine_name>.options.clan
     with NamedTemporaryFile(mode="w", dir=flake_dir) as clan_machine_settings_file:
         env = os.environ.copy()
@@ -89,9 +93,9 @@ def machine_schema(
                                 # add all clan modules specified via clanImports
                                 ++ (map (name: clan-core.clanModules.${{name}}) config.clanImports or []);
                         }};
-                        clanOptions = fakeMachine.options.clan;
+                        options = fakeMachine.options{"." + ".".join(option_path) if option_path else ""};
                         jsonschemaLib = import {Path(__file__).parent / "jsonschema"} {{ inherit lib; }};
-                        jsonschema = jsonschemaLib.parseOptions clanOptions;
+                        jsonschema = jsonschemaLib.parseOptions options;
                     in
                         jsonschema
                     """,
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_modules.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_modules.py
index e062c790..cc45572b 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_modules.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_modules.py
@@ -22,4 +22,5 @@ def test_modules_details(test_flake_with_core: FlakeForTest) -> None:
     module_info = show_module_info(base_path, test_module)
     assert module_info.description is not None and module_info.description != ""
     assert module_info.categories and "backup" in module_info.categories
-    assert module_info.roles == ["server", "client"]
+    assert module_info.roles
+    assert set(module_info.roles) == {"server", "client"}