diff --git a/docs/contributing.adoc b/docs/contributing.adoc
index 0b4409936..82a07a9a8 100644
--- a/docs/contributing.adoc
+++ b/docs/contributing.adoc
@@ -256,3 +256,8 @@ and run an individual test, for example `alacritty-empty-settings`, through
 
 [source,console]
 $ nix-shell --pure tests -A run.alacritty-empty-settings
+
+However, those invocations will impurely source the system’s nixpkgs, and may cause failures. To run against the nixpkgs from the flake.lock, use instead e.g.
+
+[source,console]
+$ nix develop --ignore-environment .#tests.all
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 2a1af863a..512111702 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -88,7 +88,9 @@
       let
         pkgs = nixpkgs.legacyPackages.${system};
         docs = import ./docs { inherit pkgs; };
+        tests = import ./tests { inherit pkgs; };
       in {
+        devShells.tests = tests.run;
         packages = rec {
           home-manager = pkgs.callPackage ./home-manager { };
           docs-html = docs.manual.html;
diff --git a/tests/modules/programs/zplug/modules.nix b/tests/modules/programs/zplug/modules.nix
index 7c4abbc42..9f4d4332a 100644
--- a/tests/modules/programs/zplug/modules.nix
+++ b/tests/modules/programs/zplug/modules.nix
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ with lib;
       enable = true;
       zplug = {
         enable = true;
-        zplugHome = ~/.customZplugHome;
+        zplugHome = pkgs.emptyDirectory;
         plugins = [
           {
             name = "plugins/git";