diff --git a/nix/configurations/vanadium.nix b/nix/configurations/vanadium.nix
index 6a56d7a7..f11adc27 100644
--- a/nix/configurations/vanadium.nix
+++ b/nix/configurations/vanadium.nix
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ in
       #
       {
         # affect the generated nix.conf, doesn't need to be turned off during nixos-install
-        nix.distributedBuilds = true;
+        nix = {
+          distributedBuilds = true;
+          settings.builders-use-substitutes = true;
+        };
 
         nixpkgs = {
           config = {