diff --git a/.config/nvim/init.min.lua b/.config/nvim/init.min.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e92f3b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.config/nvim/init.min.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+-- init.min.lua - a stripped down init.vim for environments
+--                in which packer.nvim is inappropriate
+
+-- helper functions {{{
+local keymapper = vim.keymap
+local globals = vim.g
+local opt = vim.o
+local cmd = vim.cmd
+function nnoremap(l, r)
+	keymapper.set('n', l, r) -- noremap is implied
+end
+
+function inoremap(l, r)
+	keymapper.set('i', l, r)
+end
+
+function tnoremap(l, r)
+	keymapper.set('t', l, r)
+end
+-- }}}
+
+-- custom mappings {{{
+globals.mapleader = ' '
+nnoremap(';', ':')
+nnoremap(':', ';')
+nnoremap('<leader><leader>', ':')
+
+-- source init.vim
+-- requires rebuilding the configuration first
+nnoremap('<leader>rr', function()
+	cmd.source('~/.config/nvim/init.lua')
+end)
+-- edit init.vim
+nnoremap('<leader>re', function()
+	cmd.edit('~/dot_testing/config/nvim/init.lua')
+end)
+-- openup netrw
+nnoremap('<leader>fs', function()
+	cmd.Lexplore()
+end)
+
+inoremap('qp', '<c-g>u<Esc>[s1z=`]a<c-g>u')
+inoremap("<C-a>", "<Esc>mZ0i<Tab><Esc>`ZlA")
+inoremap('jk', '<Esc>')
+inoremap('zz', '<Esc>:w!<CR>a')
+
+tnoremap('<Esc>', '<C-\\><C-n>')
+-- }}}
+
+-- vim options {{{
+opt.compatible = false
+opt.number = true
+opt.foldmethod = 'marker'
+opt.encoding = 'utf8'
+opt.list = true
+opt.lcs = 'tab:->,trail:_,eol:^'
+opt.clipboard = 'unnamedplus'
+opt.spell = true
+opt.spelllang = "en_us"
+opt.title = true
+opt.ts = 2
+opt.sw = 2
+opt.hlsearch = true
+opt.incsearch = true
+opt.ignorecase = true
+opt.smartcase = true
+opt.inccommand = 'nosplit'
+opt.hidden = true
+opt.linebreak = true
+opt.path = '.,/usr/include,**'
+opt.statusline="%f %r%m%q%h%=%y 0x%02B %04l:%03c:%03p"
+vim.api.nvim_exec("let &titlestring='%{expand(\"%:p\")}'", true)
+
+globals.vimtex_view_method = 'zathura'
+-- }}}
+
+-- autocommands {{{
+function setTabbing(lang, width)
+	vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({"Filetype"}, {
+		pattern = {lang},
+		callback = function()
+			vim.bo.expandtab = true
+			vim.bo.tabstop = width
+			vim.bo.shiftwidth = width
+		end
+	})
+end
+
+setTabbing("python", 4)
+setTabbing("htmldjango", 4)
+setTabbing("javascript", 4)
+setTabbing("css", 4)
+setTabbing("html", 4)
+setTabbing("nix", 2)
+
+vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({"TermOpen"}, {
+	pattern = {"*"},
+	callback = function()
+		vim.wo.number = false
+	end
+})
+-- }}}
+
+-- netrw options {{{
+globals.netrw_winsize = -28
+globals.netrw_banner = 0
+-- for tree view
+globals.netrw_liststyle = 3
+-- use previous window to open files
+globals.netrw_browser_split = 4
+-- }}}
diff --git a/boxes/netbox/default.nix b/boxes/netbox/default.nix
index da41fd2..e4e099c 100644
--- a/boxes/netbox/default.nix
+++ b/boxes/netbox/default.nix
@@ -59,12 +59,14 @@
   };
 
   system.userActivationScripts = {
-    copyBashRC = {
+    copyEssentialConfiguration = {
       # we don't want to bring in the entirety of home-manager for this, so just
       # write some files as a hack
       text = ''
         ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/cp /home/ryan/dot_testing/.config/bash/bashrc /home/ryan/.bashrc
         ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/cp /home/ryan/dot_testing/.config/bash/profile /home/ryan/.bash_profile
+        ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/mkdir -p /home/ryan/.config/nvim
+        ${pkgs.coreutils}/bin/cp /home/ryan/dot_testing/.config/nvim/init.min.lua /home/ryan/.config/nvim/init.lua
       '';
       deps = [];
     };