diff --git a/.github/workflows/nixfiles.yml b/.github/workflows/nixfiles.yml
index b7436aa3..171a8b64 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/nixfiles.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/nixfiles.yml
@@ -21,15 +21,6 @@ jobs:
       with:
         attrs: ci.run.bootstrap
         quiet: false
-    - id: host-athame
-      name: build host/athame
-      run: nix build -Lf . hosts.athame.config.system.build.toplevel --show-trace
-    - id: host-samhain
-      name: build host/samhain
-      run: nix build -Lf . hosts.samhain.config.system.build.toplevel --show-trace
-    - id: host-yule
-      name: build host/yule
-      run: nix build -Lf . hosts.yule.config.system.build.toplevel --show-trace
     - id: ci-dirty
       name: nix test dirty
       uses: arcnmx/ci/actions/nix/run@master
diff --git a/ci.nix b/ci.nix
index 40de49ae..f960a01d 100644
--- a/ci.nix
+++ b/ci.nix
@@ -1,13 +1,22 @@
-{ lib, ... }: with lib; {
+{ lib, channels, ... }: with lib; {
   name = "nixfiles";
   ci.gh-actions.enable = true;
   ci.gh-actions.export = true;
-  gh-actions.jobs.ci.step = let 
-    hostnames = [ "samhain" "yule" "athame"];
+
+  tasks = let hostnames = [ "samhain" "yule" "athame" ];
   in mapAttrs' (k: nameValuePair "host-${k}") (genAttrs hostnames (host: {
-    name = "build host/${host}";
-    run = "nix build -Lf . hosts.${host}.config.system.build.toplevel --show-trace";
-  }));
+      inputs = with channels.cipkgs; ci.command {
+        name = "build-${host}";
+        displayName = "build hosts/${host}";
+        nativeBuildInputs = [ nix ];
+        command = ''
+          nix build -Lf . hosts.${host}.config.system.build.toplevel --show-trace --no-link
+          nix-collect-garbage
+        '';
+        impure = true;
+      };
+    }));
+
   ci.gh-actions.checkoutOptions.submodules = false;
   cache.cachix.arc = {
     enable = true;