diff --git a/src/app/page.tsx b/src/app/page.tsx
index 99b74ef..f887c5e 100644
--- a/src/app/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/page.tsx
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ export default function Home() {
         aurAppNames,
         isHydrated,
         selectedHelper,
-        setSelectedHelper
+        setSelectedHelper,
+        hasUnfreePackages,
+        unfreeAppNames,
     } = useLinuxInit();
 
     // Search state
@@ -349,6 +351,8 @@ export default function Home() {
                 clearAll={clearAll}
                 selectedHelper={selectedHelper}
                 setSelectedHelper={setSelectedHelper}
+                hasUnfreePackages={hasUnfreePackages}
+                unfreeAppNames={unfreeAppNames}
             />
         </div>
     );
diff --git a/src/components/command/CommandDrawer.tsx b/src/components/command/CommandDrawer.tsx
index acb1529..ae2f39d 100644
--- a/src/components/command/CommandDrawer.tsx
+++ b/src/components/command/CommandDrawer.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 'use client';
 
 import { useState, useRef } from 'react';
-import { Check, Copy, X, Download } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Check, Copy, X, Download, AlertTriangle } from 'lucide-react';
 import { AurDrawerSettings } from './AurDrawerSettings';
+import type { DistroId } from '@/lib/data';
 
 interface CommandDrawerProps {
     isOpen: boolean;
@@ -21,13 +22,14 @@ interface CommandDrawerProps {
     selectedHelper: 'yay' | 'paru';
     setSelectedHelper: (helper: 'yay' | 'paru') => void;
     distroColor: string;
+    distroId: DistroId;
+    // Nix unfree warning
+    hasUnfreePackages?: boolean;
+    unfreeAppNames?: string[];
 }
 
-/**
- * Command drawer that shows the generated install command.
- * Acts as a bottom sheet on mobile (swipe to dismiss) and a centered modal on desktop.
- * If you're reading this, yes, I did spend way too much time on the animations.
- */
+// Command drawer - bottom sheet on mobile, modal on desktop.
+// Nix gets special treatment: shows config file instead of terminal command.
 export function CommandDrawer({
     isOpen,
     isClosing,
@@ -44,7 +46,11 @@ export function CommandDrawer({
     selectedHelper,
     setSelectedHelper,
     distroColor,
+    distroId,
+    hasUnfreePackages = false,
+    unfreeAppNames = [],
 }: CommandDrawerProps) {
+    const isNix = distroId === 'nix';
     // Swipe-to-dismiss for mobile users who hate tapping tiny X buttons
     const [dragOffset, setDragOffset] = useState(0);
     const [isDragging, setIsDragging] = useState(false);
@@ -126,7 +132,9 @@ export function CommandDrawer({
                         <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
                             <div className="w-1 h-5 rounded-full" style={{ backgroundColor: distroColor }}></div>
                             <div>
-                                <h3 id="drawer-title" className="text-sm font-bold uppercase tracking-wider text-[var(--text-secondary)]">Terminal Preview</h3>
+                                <h3 id="drawer-title" className="text-sm font-bold uppercase tracking-wider text-[var(--text-secondary)]">
+                                    {isNix ? 'Configuration Preview' : 'Terminal Preview'}
+                                </h3>
                                 <p className="text-xs text-[var(--text-muted)] mt-0.5">
                                     {selectedCount} apps selected
                                 </p>
@@ -154,10 +162,25 @@ export function CommandDrawer({
                         />
                     )}
 
+                    {/* Nix unfree packages warning */}
+                    {isNix && hasUnfreePackages && (
+                        <div className="mb-4 p-3 rounded-lg bg-amber-500/10 border border-amber-500/30">
+                            <div className="flex items-start gap-2">
+                                <AlertTriangle className="w-4 h-4 text-amber-500 mt-0.5 shrink-0" />
+                                <div className="text-sm">
+                                    <p className="font-medium text-amber-500">Unfree packages</p>
+                                    <p className="text-[var(--text-muted)] mt-1">
+                                        {unfreeAppNames.join(', ')} require <code className="px-1 py-0.5 rounded bg-[var(--bg-tertiary)] text-xs">nixpkgs.config.allowUnfree = true</code>
+                                    </p>
+                                </div>
+                            </div>
+                        </div>
+                    )}
+
                     {/* Terminal preview - where the magic gets displayed */}
                     <div className="bg-[var(--bg-secondary)] rounded-lg border border-[var(--border-primary)] overflow-hidden shadow-sm">
                         <div className="flex items-center justify-between px-4 py-2 bg-[var(--bg-tertiary)] border-b border-[var(--border-primary)]">
-                            <span className="text-xs font-mono text-[var(--text-muted)]">bash</span>
+                            <span className="text-xs font-mono text-[var(--text-muted)]">{isNix ? 'nix' : 'bash'}</span>
 
                             {/* Desktop action buttons */}
                             <div className="hidden md:flex items-center gap-2">
@@ -166,7 +189,7 @@ export function CommandDrawer({
                                     className="h-8 px-4 flex items-center gap-2 rounded-md hover:bg-[var(--bg-primary)] text-[var(--text-muted)] hover:text-[var(--text-primary)] transition-all text-xs font-medium"
                                 >
                                     <Download className="w-4 h-4" />
-                                    <span>Script</span>
+                                    <span>{isNix ? 'configuration.nix' : 'Script'}</span>
                                 </button>
                                 <button
                                     onClick={handleCopyAndClose}
@@ -187,7 +210,7 @@ export function CommandDrawer({
 
                         <div className="p-4 font-mono text-sm overflow-x-auto bg-[var(--bg-secondary)]">
                             <div className="flex gap-3">
-                                <span className="select-none shrink-0 font-bold" style={{ color: distroColor }}>$</span>
+                                {!isNix && <span className="select-none shrink-0 font-bold" style={{ color: distroColor }}>$</span>}
                                 <code
                                     className="text-[var(--text-primary)] break-all whitespace-pre-wrap select-text"
                                     style={{
diff --git a/src/components/command/CommandFooter.tsx b/src/components/command/CommandFooter.tsx
index 04205c2..1d7fd4b 100644
--- a/src/components/command/CommandFooter.tsx
+++ b/src/components/command/CommandFooter.tsx
@@ -25,13 +25,12 @@ interface CommandFooterProps {
     clearAll: () => void;
     selectedHelper: 'yay' | 'paru';
     setSelectedHelper: (helper: 'yay' | 'paru') => void;
+    // Nix unfree
+    hasUnfreePackages?: boolean;
+    unfreeAppNames?: string[];
 }
 
-/**
- * The sticky footer that shows the generated command and action buttons.
- * Contains more state than I'd like, but hey, it works.
- * Keyboard shortcuts are vim-style because we're not savages.
- */
+
 export function CommandFooter({
     command,
     selectedCount,
@@ -47,6 +46,8 @@ export function CommandFooter({
     clearAll,
     selectedHelper,
     setSelectedHelper,
+    hasUnfreePackages,
+    unfreeAppNames,
 }: CommandFooterProps) {
     const [copied, setCopied] = useState(false);
     const [drawerOpen, setDrawerOpen] = useState(false);
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ export function CommandFooter({
 
     const { toggle: toggleTheme } = useTheme();
 
-    // Track if user has actually interacted - we hide the bar until then.
+    // Track if user has actually interacted - hide the bar until then.
     // Otherwise it just sits there looking sad with "No apps selected".
     useEffect(() => {
         if (selectedCount !== initialCountRef.current && !hasEverHadSelection) {
@@ -103,11 +104,14 @@ export function CommandFooter({
             selectedAppIds: selectedApps,
             helper: selectedHelper,
         });
-        const blob = new Blob([script], { type: 'text/x-shellscript' });
+        const isNix = selectedDistro === 'nix';
+        const ext = isNix ? 'nix' : 'sh';
+        const mimeType = isNix ? 'text/plain' : 'text/x-shellscript';
+        const blob = new Blob([script], { type: mimeType });
         const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
         const a = document.createElement('a');
         a.href = url;
-        a.download = `tuxmate-${selectedDistro}.sh`;
+        a.download = isNix ? 'configuration.nix' : `tuxmate-${selectedDistro}.sh`;
         a.click();
         setTimeout(() => URL.revokeObjectURL(url), 1000);
         const distroName = distros.find(d => d.id === selectedDistro)?.name || selectedDistro;
@@ -182,6 +186,9 @@ export function CommandFooter({
                 selectedHelper={selectedHelper}
                 setSelectedHelper={setSelectedHelper}
                 distroColor={distroColor}
+                distroId={selectedDistro}
+                hasUnfreePackages={hasUnfreePackages}
+                unfreeAppNames={unfreeAppNames}
             />
 
             {/* Animated footer container - only shows after first selection */}
diff --git a/src/hooks/useLinuxInit.ts b/src/hooks/useLinuxInit.ts
index 8f7652c..520e84f 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useLinuxInit.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useLinuxInit.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import { useState, useMemo, useCallback, useEffect } from 'react';
 import { distros, apps, type DistroId } from '@/lib/data';
 import { isAurPackage } from '@/lib/aur';
+import { isUnfreePackage } from '@/lib/nixUnfree';
 
 // Re-export for backwards compatibility
 export { isAurPackage, AUR_PATTERNS, KNOWN_AUR_PACKAGES } from '@/lib/aur';
@@ -29,6 +30,9 @@ export interface UseLinuxInitReturn {
     hasAurPackages: boolean;
     aurPackageNames: string[];
     aurAppNames: string[];
+    // Nix unfree specific
+    hasUnfreePackages: boolean;
+    unfreeAppNames: string[];
     // Hydration state
     isHydrated: boolean;
 }
@@ -118,6 +122,26 @@ export function useLinuxInit(): UseLinuxInitReturn {
         return { hasAur: aurPkgs.length > 0, packages: aurPkgs, appNames: aurAppNames };
     }, [selectedDistro, selectedApps]);
 
+    // Compute unfree package info for Nix
+    const unfreePackageInfo = useMemo(() => {
+        if (selectedDistro !== 'nix') {
+            return { hasUnfree: false, appNames: [] as string[] };
+        }
+
+        const unfreeAppNames: string[] = [];
+        selectedApps.forEach(appId => {
+            const app = apps.find(a => a.id === appId);
+            if (app) {
+                const pkg = app.targets['nix'];
+                if (pkg && isUnfreePackage(pkg)) {
+                    unfreeAppNames.push(app.name);
+                }
+            }
+        });
+
+        return { hasUnfree: unfreeAppNames.length > 0, appNames: unfreeAppNames };
+    }, [selectedDistro, selectedApps]);
+
     const isAppAvailable = useCallback((appId: string): boolean => {
         const app = apps.find(a => a.id === appId);
         if (!app) return false;
@@ -206,11 +230,11 @@ export function useLinuxInit(): UseLinuxInitReturn {
 
         if (packageNames.length === 0) return '# No packages selected';
 
-        // Handle special cases for Nix and Snap
+        // Nix: show declarative config (no unfree warning in preview - that's in download)
         if (selectedDistro === 'nix') {
-            // installPrefix already ends with 'nixpkgs.' so just join packages with ' nixpkgs.'
-            const filteredPkgs = packageNames.filter(p => p.trim());
-            return `${distro.installPrefix}${filteredPkgs.join(' nixpkgs.')}`;
+            const sortedPkgs = packageNames.filter(p => p.trim()).sort();
+            const pkgList = sortedPkgs.map(p => `    ${p}`).join('\n');
+            return `environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [\n${pkgList}\n];`;
         }
 
         if (selectedDistro === 'snap') {
@@ -280,6 +304,9 @@ export function useLinuxInit(): UseLinuxInitReturn {
         hasAurPackages: aurPackageInfo.hasAur,
         aurPackageNames: aurPackageInfo.packages,
         aurAppNames: aurPackageInfo.appNames,
+        // Nix unfree specific
+        hasUnfreePackages: unfreePackageInfo.hasUnfree,
+        unfreeAppNames: unfreePackageInfo.appNames,
         // Hydration state
         isHydrated: hydrated,
     };