diff --git a/hosts/common/boot.nix b/hosts/common/boot.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4abe9254
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hosts/common/boot.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+{ lib, pkgs, ... }:
+{
+  boot.initrd.supportedFilesystems = [ "ext4" "btrfs" "ext2" "ext3" "vfat" ];
+  # useful emergency utils
+  boot.initrd.extraUtilsCommands = ''
+    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.btrfs-progs}/bin/btrfstune
+    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.util-linux}/bin/{cfdisk,lsblk,lscpu}
+    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.gptfdisk}/bin/{cgdisk,gdisk}
+    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.smartmontools}/bin/smartctl
+    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.e2fsprogs}/bin/resize2fs
+  '' + lib.optionalString pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.isx86_64 ''
+    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.nvme-cli}/bin/nvme  # doesn't cross compile
+  '';
+  boot.kernelParams = [
+    "boot.shell_on_fail"
+    #v experimental full pre-emption for hopefully better call/audio latency on moby.
+    # also toggleable at runtime via /sys/kernel/debug/sched/preempt
+    # defaults to preempt=voluntary
+    # "preempt=full"
+  ];
+  # other kernelParams:
+  #   "boot.trace"
+  #   "systemd.log_level=debug"
+  #   "systemd.log_target=console"
+
+  # moby has to run recent kernels (defined elsewhere).
+  # meanwhile, kernel variation plays some minor role in things like sandboxing (landlock) and capabilities.
+  # simpler to keep near the latest kernel on all devices,
+  # and also makes certain that any weird system-level bugs i see aren't likely to be stale kernel bugs.
+  # servo needs zfs though, which doesn't support every kernel.
+  boot.kernelPackages = lib.mkDefault pkgs.zfs.latestCompatibleLinuxPackages;
+
+  # hack in the `boot.shell_on_fail` arg since that doesn't always seem to work.
+  boot.initrd.preFailCommands = "allowShell=1";
+
+  # default: 4 (warn). 7 is debug
+  boot.consoleLogLevel = 7;
+
+  boot.loader.grub.enable = lib.mkDefault false;
+  boot.loader.generic-extlinux-compatible.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
+
+  # non-free firmware
+  hardware.enableRedistributableFirmware = true;
+
+  # default is 252274, which is too low particularly for servo.
+  # manifests as spurious "No space left on device" when trying to install watches,
+  # e.g. in dyn-dns by `systemctl start dyn-dns-watcher.path`.
+  # see: <https://askubuntu.com/questions/828779/failed-to-add-run-systemd-ask-password-to-directory-watch-no-space-left-on-dev>
+  boot.kernel.sysctl."fs.inotify.max_user_watches" = 1048576;
+}
diff --git a/hosts/common/default.nix b/hosts/common/default.nix
index ab473cc8..8ce08ac0 100644
--- a/hosts/common/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/common/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 { config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
 {
   imports = [
+    ./boot.nix
     ./feeds.nix
     ./fs.nix
     ./hardware
diff --git a/hosts/common/hardware/default.nix b/hosts/common/hardware/default.nix
index f88c31e5..02534cb7 100644
--- a/hosts/common/hardware/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/common/hardware/default.nix
@@ -5,36 +5,6 @@
     ./x86_64.nix
   ];
 
-  boot.initrd.supportedFilesystems = [ "ext4" "btrfs" "ext2" "ext3" "vfat" ];
-  # useful emergency utils
-  boot.initrd.extraUtilsCommands = ''
-    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.btrfs-progs}/bin/btrfstune
-    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.util-linux}/bin/{cfdisk,lsblk,lscpu}
-    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.gptfdisk}/bin/{cgdisk,gdisk}
-    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.smartmontools}/bin/smartctl
-    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.e2fsprogs}/bin/resize2fs
-  '' + lib.optionalString pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.isx86_64 ''
-    copy_bin_and_libs ${pkgs.nvme-cli}/bin/nvme  # doesn't cross compile
-  '';
-  boot.kernelParams = [
-    "boot.shell_on_fail"
-    #v experimental full pre-emption for hopefully better call/audio latency on moby.
-    # also toggleable at runtime via /sys/kernel/debug/sched/preempt
-    # defaults to preempt=voluntary
-    # "preempt=full"
-  ];
-  # other kernelParams:
-  #   "boot.trace"
-  #   "systemd.log_level=debug"
-  #   "systemd.log_target=console"
-
-  # moby has to run recent kernels (defined elsewhere).
-  # meanwhile, kernel variation plays some minor role in things like sandboxing (landlock) and capabilities.
-  # simpler to keep near the latest kernel on all devices,
-  # and also makes certain that any weird system-level bugs i see aren't likely to be stale kernel bugs.
-  # servo needs zfs though, which doesn't support every kernel.
-  boot.kernelPackages = lib.mkDefault pkgs.zfs.latestCompatibleLinuxPackages;
-
   # TODO: remove after linux 6.9. see: <https://github.com/axboe/liburing/issues/1113>
   # - <https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/28149>
   # - <https://git.kernel.dk/cgit/linux/commit/?h=io_uring-6.9&id=e5444baa42e545bb929ba56c497e7f3c73634099>
@@ -45,24 +15,6 @@
     export UV_USE_IO_URING=0
   '';
 
-  # hack in the `boot.shell_on_fail` arg since that doesn't always seem to work.
-  boot.initrd.preFailCommands = "allowShell=1";
-
-  # default: 4 (warn). 7 is debug
-  boot.consoleLogLevel = 7;
-
-  boot.loader.grub.enable = lib.mkDefault false;
-  boot.loader.generic-extlinux-compatible.enable = lib.mkDefault true;
-
-  # non-free firmware
-  hardware.enableRedistributableFirmware = true;
-
-  # default is 252274, which is too low particularly for servo.
-  # manifests as spurious "No space left on device" when trying to install watches,
-  # e.g. in dyn-dns by `systemctl start dyn-dns-watcher.path`.
-  # see: <https://askubuntu.com/questions/828779/failed-to-add-run-systemd-ask-password-to-directory-watch-no-space-left-on-dev>
-  boot.kernel.sysctl."fs.inotify.max_user_watches" = 1048576;
-
   # powertop will default to putting USB devices -- including HID -- to sleep after TWO SECONDS
   powerManagement.powertop.enable = false;
   # linux CPU governor: <https://www.kernel.org/doc/Documentation/cpu-freq/governors.txt>