system/machine/MBP-Asahi/configuration.nix

@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
     ./hardware-configuration.nix
   ];
 
-  # Asahi manages the EFI vars from macOS; do not touch them from NixOS.
+  # UEFI boot via systemd-boot. Asahi manages the EFI vars from macOS, so do not
+  # touch them from NixOS.
+  boot.loader.systemd-boot.enable = true;
   boot.loader.efi.canTouchEfiVariables = false;
 
   networking.hostName = "Emma-Asahi";

system/modules/workstation.nix

@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 # Form-factor-agnostic base for the physical graphical NixOS machines. Imported
 # by both ./laptop.nix and ./desktop.nix; those add only the bits that differ
 # between portable and desktop hosts (chiefly the networking backend).
+#
+# The bootloader is NOT set here -- it is firmware-specific, not form-factor:
+# UEFI hosts (MBP, Mac Pro 3,1) use systemd-boot, the BIOS-only T400 uses GRUB.
+# Each machine config declares its own.
 { ... }:
 {
-  boot.loader.systemd-boot.enable = true;
-
   features.swayDesktop.enable = true;
 
   console.keyMap = "dvorak";