diff --git a/ci/eval/compare/default.nix b/ci/eval/compare/default.nix
index 4d651afe092e..e596b6d1994f 100644
--- a/ci/eval/compare/default.nix
+++ b/ci/eval/compare/default.nix
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@ let
       rebuildCountByKernel = lib.mapAttrs (
         kernel: kernelRebuilds: lib.length kernelRebuilds
       ) rebuildsByKernel;
+      rebuildNames = extractPackageNames diffAttrs.rebuilds;
     in
     writeText "changed-paths.json" (
       builtins.toJSON {
@@ -188,7 +189,8 @@ let
             kernel: rebuilds: lib.nameValuePair "10.rebuild-${kernel}-stdenv" (lib.elem "stdenv" rebuilds)
           ) rebuildsByKernel
           // {
-            "10.rebuild-nixos-tests" = lib.elem "nixosTests.simple" (extractPackageNames diffAttrs.rebuilds);
+            "10.rebuild-nixos-tests" =
+              lib.elem "nixosTests.simple-container" rebuildNames || lib.elem "nixosTests.simple-vm" rebuildNames;
           };
       }
     );
diff --git a/ci/eval/outpaths.nix b/ci/eval/outpaths.nix
index 6c29ff403b47..afbce48f3321 100755
--- a/ci/eval/outpaths.nix
+++ b/ci/eval/outpaths.nix
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ in
 tweak (
   (removeAttrs nixpkgsJobs blacklist)
   // {
-    nixosTests = lib.filterAttrs (name: _: name == "simple") nixosJobs.tests;
+    nixosTests = lib.filterAttrs (
+      name: _: name == "simple-container" || name == "simple-vm"
+    ) nixosJobs.tests;
   }
 )
diff --git a/ci/github-script/check-target-branch.js b/ci/github-script/check-target-branch.js
index cdb2670aeac0..01c062d410ab 100644
--- a/ci/github-script/check-target-branch.js
+++ b/ci/github-script/check-target-branch.js
@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ async function checkTargetBranch({ github, context, core, dry }) {
     ...Object.values(changed.rebuildCountByKernel),
   )
   const rebuildsAllTests =
-    changed.attrdiff.changed.includes('nixosTests.simple')
+    changed.attrdiff.changed.includes('nixosTests.simple-container') ||
+    changed.attrdiff.changed.includes('nixosTests.simple-vm')
 
   // https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/481205#issuecomment-3790123921
   // These should go to staging-nixos instead of master,
diff --git a/nixos/release-combined.nix b/nixos/release-combined.nix
index 40eb4a0d34ae..d6ec21f82226 100644
--- a/nixos/release-combined.nix
+++ b/nixos/release-combined.nix
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ rec {
         (onFullSupported "nixos.tests.proxy")
         (onFullSupported "nixos.tests.sddm.default")
         (onFullSupported "nixos.tests.shadow")
-        (onFullSupported "nixos.tests.simple")
+        (onFullSupported "nixos.tests.simple-container")
+        (onFullSupported "nixos.tests.simple-vm")
         (onFullSupported "nixos.tests.sway")
         (onFullSupported "nixos.tests.switchTest")
         (onFullSupported "nixos.tests.udisks2")
diff --git a/nixos/release-small.nix b/nixos/release-small.nix
index 461afb49d4db..8db36109abf7 100644
--- a/nixos/release-small.nix
+++ b/nixos/release-small.nix
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ rec {
         php
         predictable-interface-names
         proxy
-        simple
+        simple-container
+        simple-vm
         ;
       latestKernel = {
         inherit (nixos'.tests.latestKernel)
@@ -165,7 +166,8 @@ rec {
           "nixos.tests.predictable-interface-names.unpredictable"
           "nixos.tests.predictable-interface-names.unpredictableNetworkd"
           "nixos.tests.proxy"
-          "nixos.tests.simple"
+          "nixos.tests.simple-container"
+          "nixos.tests.simple-vm"
           "nixpkgs.jdk"
           "nixpkgs.tests.stdenv.tests-stdenv-gcc-stageCompare"
           "nixpkgs.opensshTest"
diff --git a/nixos/tests/all-tests.nix b/nixos/tests/all-tests.nix
index 3475d14e7f26..f4308311858c 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/all-tests.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/all-tests.nix
@@ -1508,7 +1508,8 @@ in
   shoko = import ./shoko.nix { inherit runTest; };
   signal-desktop = runTest ./signal-desktop.nix;
   silverbullet = runTest ./silverbullet.nix;
-  simple = runTest ./simple.nix;
+  simple-container = runTest ./simple-container.nix;
+  simple-vm = runTest ./simple-vm.nix;
   sing-box = runTest ./sing-box.nix;
   sks = runTest ./sks.nix;
   slimserver = runTest ./slimserver.nix;
diff --git a/nixos/tests/nixos-test-driver/skip-typecheck.nix b/nixos/tests/nixos-test-driver/skip-typecheck.nix
index b36e4a819693..887cab290389 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/nixos-test-driver/skip-typecheck.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/nixos-test-driver/skip-typecheck.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /**
-  nixosTests.simple, but with skipTypeCheck.
+  nixosTests.simple-vm, but with skipTypeCheck.
   This catches regressions in the wiring, e.g.
   https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/511225
 */
diff --git a/nixos/tests/simple-container.nix b/nixos/tests/simple-container.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..269853423651
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/tests/simple-container.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{
+  name = "simple-container";
+
+  containers.machine = { };
+
+  testScript = ''
+    start_all()
+    machine.wait_for_unit("multi-user.target")
+    machine.shutdown()
+  '';
+}
diff --git a/nixos/tests/simple.nix b/nixos/tests/simple-vm.nix
similarity index 86%
rename from nixos/tests/simple.nix
rename to nixos/tests/simple-vm.nix
index f9b9db05302b..51fe6b596d29 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/simple.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/simple-vm.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  name = "simple";
+  name = "simple-vm";
 
   nodes.machine = { };