diff --git a/flake.lock b/flake.lock
index bda597b..16bffbb 100644
--- a/flake.lock
+++ b/flake.lock
@@ -212,6 +212,18 @@
         "type": "indirect"
       }
     },
+    "nixpkgs-patch-howdy": {
+      "flake": false,
+      "locked": {
+        "narHash": "sha256-qtpbPMo28li7Lx6W/4QyClCFlIQP8ssxX0dMGGBYAdo=",
+        "type": "file",
+        "url": "https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/216245.diff"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "type": "file",
+        "url": "https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/216245.diff"
+      }
+    },
     "radio": {
       "inputs": {
         "flake-utils": [
@@ -262,6 +274,7 @@
         "flake-utils": "flake-utils",
         "nix-index-database": "nix-index-database",
         "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs",
+        "nixpkgs-patch-howdy": "nixpkgs-patch-howdy",
         "radio": "radio",
         "radio-web": "radio-web",
         "simple-nixos-mailserver": "simple-nixos-mailserver"
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 0ffbc35..14fb39a 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 {
   inputs = {
     nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/master";
+    nixpkgs-patch-howdy.url = "https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/216245.diff";
+    nixpkgs-patch-howdy.flake = false;
 
     flake-utils.url = "github:numtide/flake-utils";
 
@@ -64,7 +66,18 @@
       mkSystem = system: nixpkgs: path:
         let
           allModules = modules system;
-        in nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
+
+          # allow patching nixpkgs, remove this hack once this is solved: https://github.com/NixOS/nix/issues/3920
+          patchedNixpkgsSrc = nixpkgs.legacyPackages.${system}.applyPatches {
+            name = "nixpkgs-patched";
+            src = nixpkgs;
+            patches = [
+              inputs.nixpkgs-patch-howdy
+            ];
+          };
+          patchedNixpkgs = nixpkgs.lib.fix (self: (import "${patchedNixpkgsSrc}/flake.nix").outputs { self=nixpkgs; });
+
+        in patchedNixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
           inherit system;
           modules = allModules ++ [path];
 
diff --git a/machines/ray/configuration.nix b/machines/ray/configuration.nix
index 649fcf3..e158b0d 100644
--- a/machines/ray/configuration.nix
+++ b/machines/ray/configuration.nix
@@ -7,9 +7,13 @@
 
   networking.hostName = "ray";
 
+  # for luks onlock over tor
   services.tor.enable = true;
   services.tor.client.enable = true;
 
+  services.howdy.enable = true;
+  # services.linux-enable-ir-emitter.enable = true;
+
   hardware.openrazer.enable = true;
   hardware.openrazer.users = [ "googlebot" ];
   hardware.openrazer.devicesOffOnScreensaver = false;