diff --git a/hosts/algiz/default.nix b/hosts/algiz/default.nix
index 2f8279f..ff6ceb9 100644
--- a/hosts/algiz/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/algiz/default.nix
@@ -1,14 +1,14 @@
 {
   enabled,
   enableAttrs,
-  pipeList,
+  listify,
   ...
 }:
 {
   oizys = {
     rune.motd = enabled;
-    languages = "nim|node|python|nushell" |> pipeList;
-  } // ("docker|backups|nix-ld" |> pipeList |> enableAttrs);
+    languages = "nim|node|python|nushell" |> listify;
+  } // ("docker|backups|nix-ld" |> listify |> enableAttrs);
 
   services.restic.backups.gdrive = {
     # directories created by gitea and soft-serve aren't world readable
diff --git a/hosts/othalan/default.nix b/hosts/othalan/default.nix
index 7152689..736d72c 100644
--- a/hosts/othalan/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/othalan/default.nix
@@ -3,15 +3,24 @@
   config,
   enabled,
   enableAttrs,
-  pipeList,
+  listify,
   ...
 }:
 {
-  oizys = {
-    nix-ld = enabled // {
-      overkill = enabled;
-    };
-    languages = "misc|nim|node|nushell|python|roc|tex|zig" |> pipeList;
-  } // ("vpn|desktop|hyprland|chrome|docker|vbox|backups|hp-scanner|llm" |> pipeList |> enableAttrs);
+  oizys =
+    {
+      nix-ld = enabled // {
+        overkill = enabled;
+      };
+      languages = "misc|nim|node|nushell|python|roc|tex|zig" |> listify;
+    }
+    // (
+      ''
+        vpn|desktop|hyprland|chrome
+        docker|vbox|backups|hp-scanner|llm
+      ''
+      |> listify
+      |> enableAttrs
+    );
 
 }
diff --git a/lib/extended.nix b/lib/extended.nix
index a69a425..90730e9 100644
--- a/lib/extended.nix
+++ b/lib/extended.nix
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ let
     mkOption
     types
     splitString
+    trim
     ;
   inherit (final.filesystem) listFilesRecursive;
 in
@@ -26,8 +27,19 @@ let
     enable = false;
   };
 
-  # "opt1|opt2" |> pipeList -> ["opt1" "opt2"]
-  pipeList = s: s |> replaceStrings [ "\n" ] [ "|" ] |> splitString "|" |> filter (s': s' != "");
+  # split a string on newlines and pipes to generate list
+  # "opt1|opt2" |> listify -> ["opt1" "opt2"]
+  # ''
+  # opt1
+  # opt2|opt3
+  # '' |> listify ["opt1" "opt2" "opt3"]
+  listify =
+    s:
+    s
+    |> replaceStrings [ "\n" ] [ "|" ]
+    |> splitString "|"
+    |> filter (s': s' != "")
+    |> map (s': trim s');
 
   # ["a" "b"] -> {a.enable = true; b.enable = true;}
   enableAttrs =
@@ -112,6 +124,6 @@ in
     pkgFromSystem
     overlayFrom
     flakeFromSystem
-    pipeList
+    listify
     ;
 }
diff --git a/lib/generators.nix b/lib/generators.nix
index 73024bc..60eeb1e 100644
--- a/lib/generators.nix
+++ b/lib/generators.nix
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ let
     enableAttrs
     isNixFile
     flakeFromSystem
-    pipeList
+    listify
     ;
   inherit (lib.filesystem) listFilesRecursive;
 
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ let
         inherit
           mkDefaultOizysModule
           mkOizysModule
-          pipeList
+          listify
           enableAttrs
           hostName
           flake