diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 7415825f9..a7233b2c2 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ software can be installed by using standard Nix mechanisms like `nix run nixpkgs
 1. Check out the Ghostty source and change to the directory.
 2. Run `nix run .#<vmtype>`. `<vmtype>` can be any of the VMs defined in the
    `nix/vm` directory (without the `.nix` suffix) excluding any file prefixed
-   with `common`.
+   with `common` or `create`.
 3. The VM will build and then launch. Depending on the speed of your system, this
    can take a while, but eventually you should get a new VM window.
 4. The Ghostty source directory should be mounted to `/tmp/shared` in the VM. Depending
@@ -114,6 +114,48 @@ software can be installed by using standard Nix mechanisms like `nix run nixpkgs
 2. Once the Linux builder has been enabled, you should be able to follow the Linux instructions
    above to launch a VM.
 
+### Custom VMs
+
+To easily create a custom VM without modifying the Ghostty source, create a new
+directory, then create a file called `flake.nix` with the following text in the
+new directory.
+
+```
+{
+  inputs = {
+    nixpkgs.url = "nixpkgs/nixpkgs-unstable";
+    ghostty.url = "github:ghostty-org/ghostty";
+  };
+  outputs = {
+    nixpkgs,
+    ghostty,
+    ...
+  }: {
+   nixosConfigurations.custom-vm = ghostty.create-gnome-vm {
+     nixpkgs = nixpkgs;
+     system = "x86_64-linux";
+     overlay = ghostty.overlays.releasefast;
+     # module = ./configuration.nix # also works
+     module = {pkgs, ...}: {
+       environment.systemPackages = [
+         pkgs.btop
+       ];
+     };
+    };
+  };
+}
+```
+
+The custom VM can then be run with a command like this:
+
+```
+nix run .#nixosConfigurations.custom-vm.config.system.build.vm
+```
+
+A file named `ghostty.qcow2` will be created that is used to persist any changes
+made in the VM. To "reset" the VM to default delete the file and it will be
+recreated the next time you run the VM.
+
 ### Contributing new VM definitions
 
 #### VM Acceptance Criteria
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index b3cd77087..d787c0609 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@
 
           apps.${system} = let
             runVM = (
-              path: let
+              module: let
                 vm = import ./nix/vm/create.nix {
-                  inherit system path;
+                  inherit system module;
                   nixpkgs = nixpkgs-stable;
                   overlay = self.overlays.debug;
                 };
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
                   SHARED_DIR=$(pwd)
                   export SHARED_DIR
 
-                  ${vm.config.system.build.vm}/bin/run-ghostty-vm
+                  ${pkgs-stable.lib.getExe vm.config.system.build.vm} "$@"
                 '';
               in {
                 type = "app";
diff --git a/nix/vm/create-cinnamon.nix b/nix/vm/create-cinnamon.nix
index 0efd3c72c..a9d9e44d7 100644
--- a/nix/vm/create-cinnamon.nix
+++ b/nix/vm/create-cinnamon.nix
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
   system,
   nixpkgs,
   overlay,
-  path,
+  module,
   uid ? 1000,
   gid ? 1000,
 }:
 import ./create.nix {
-  inherit system nixpkgs overlay path uid gid;
+  inherit system nixpkgs overlay module uid gid;
   common = ./common-cinnamon.nix;
 }
diff --git a/nix/vm/create-gnome.nix b/nix/vm/create-gnome.nix
index 9fb7f3914..bcd31f2b6 100644
--- a/nix/vm/create-gnome.nix
+++ b/nix/vm/create-gnome.nix
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
   system,
   nixpkgs,
   overlay,
-  path,
+  module,
   uid ? 1000,
   gid ? 1000,
 }:
 import ./create.nix {
-  inherit system nixpkgs overlay path uid gid;
+  inherit system nixpkgs overlay module uid gid;
   common = ./common-gnome.nix;
 }
diff --git a/nix/vm/create-plasma6.nix b/nix/vm/create-plasma6.nix
index 47785899f..ede5371f3 100644
--- a/nix/vm/create-plasma6.nix
+++ b/nix/vm/create-plasma6.nix
@@ -2,11 +2,11 @@
   system,
   nixpkgs,
   overlay,
-  path,
+  module,
   uid ? 1000,
   gid ? 1000,
 }:
 import ./create.nix {
-  inherit system nixpkgs overlay path uid gid;
+  inherit system nixpkgs overlay module uid gid;
   common = ./common-plasma6.nix;
 }
diff --git a/nix/vm/create.nix b/nix/vm/create.nix
index 4481d4345..f8fe8500d 100644
--- a/nix/vm/create.nix
+++ b/nix/vm/create.nix
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   system,
   nixpkgs,
   overlay,
-  path,
+  module,
   common ? ./common.nix,
   uid ? 1000,
   gid ? 1000,
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ in
         system.stateVersion = nixpkgs.lib.trivial.release;
       }
       common
-      path
+      module
     ];
   }