diff --git a/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/__init__.py b/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/__init__.py
index 1e5a062b18c8..95f25136701f 100644
--- a/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/__init__.py
+++ b/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/__init__.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import warnings
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import ptpython.ipython
+from colorama import Fore, Style
 
 from test_driver.debug import Debug, DebugAbstract, DebugNop
 from test_driver.driver import Driver, DriverConfiguration, load_driver_configuration
@@ -55,6 +56,29 @@ def writeable_dir(arg: str) -> Path:
     return path
 
 
+def formatwarning(
+    message: Warning | str,
+    category: type[Warning],
+    filename: str,
+    lineno: int,
+    line: str | None = None,
+) -> str:
+    return (
+        Style.BRIGHT
+        + Fore.YELLOW
+        + f"??? Warning ({category.__name__}): "  # ty: ignore[unsupported-operator]
+        + Style.NORMAL
+        + str(message)
+        + "\n"
+        + f'    File "{filename}", line {lineno}\n'
+        + (f"      {line}\n" if line is not None else "")
+        + Style.RESET_ALL
+    )
+
+
+warnings.formatwarning = formatwarning  # ty:ignore[invalid-assignment]
+
+
 def main() -> None:
     arg_parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog="nixos-test-driver")
     arg_parser.add_argument(
diff --git a/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/driver.py b/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/driver.py
index 9ee11ff41ea0..2f856c9d9609 100644
--- a/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/driver.py
+++ b/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/driver.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from test_driver.errors import MachineError, RequestedAssertionFailed
 from test_driver.logger import AbstractLogger
 from test_driver.machine import (
     BaseMachine,
+    MachineDeprecationWrapper,
     NspawnMachine,
     QemuMachine,
     retry,
@@ -338,11 +339,17 @@ class Driver:
             debug=self.debug,
             dump_machine_ssh=self.dump_machine_ssh,
         )
-        machine_symbols = {pythonize_name(m.name): m for m in self.machines}
+        machine_symbols: dict[
+            str, QemuMachine | NspawnMachine | MachineDeprecationWrapper
+        ] = {pythonize_name(m.name): m for m in self.machines}
         # If there's exactly one machine, make it available under the name
         # "machine", even if it's not called that.
-        if len(self.machines) == 1:
-            (machine_symbols["machine"],) = self.machines
+        if len(self.machines) == 1 and "machine" not in machine_symbols:
+            only_machine_name = next(iter(machine_symbols))
+            machine_symbols["machine"] = MachineDeprecationWrapper(
+                f"It's deprecated to use the `machine` variable when the only machine is called {only_machine_name}. This behavior will no longer work in NixOS 27.05.",
+                self.machines[0],
+            )
         vlan_symbols = {
             f"vlan{v.nr}": self.vlans[idx] for idx, v in enumerate(self.vlans)
         }
diff --git a/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/machine/__init__.py b/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/machine/__init__.py
index 909a906a9a0d..f763fa2d12bc 100644
--- a/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/machine/__init__.py
+++ b/nixos/lib/test-driver/src/test_driver/machine/__init__.py
@@ -1710,3 +1710,18 @@ class NspawnMachine(BaseMachine):
         with self.nested("waiting for the container to power off"):
             self.process.wait()
             self.process = None
+
+
+class MachineDeprecationWrapper:
+    def __init__(self, msg: str, machine: QemuMachine | NspawnMachine):
+        self.msg = msg
+        self.machine = machine
+
+    def __getattribute__(self, name: str):
+        if name in ("msg", "machine"):
+            return object.__getattribute__(self, name)
+        typename = self.machine.__class__.__name__
+        warnings.warn(
+            f"invoking '{typename}.{name}' is deprecated: {self.msg}",
+        )
+        return self.machine.__getattribute__(name)
diff --git a/nixos/tests/benchexec.nix b/nixos/tests/benchexec.nix
index 40b6575ad428..2875588efdf2 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/benchexec.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/benchexec.nix
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ in
     in
     ''
       start_all()
-      machine.wait_for_unit("multi-user.target")
+      benchexec.wait_for_unit("multi-user.target")
       benchexec.succeed(''''\
           systemd-run \
             --property='StandardOutput=file:${stdout}' \
diff --git a/nixos/tests/drawterm.nix b/nixos/tests/drawterm.nix
index da4ba293990b..e4da864bff7f 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/drawterm.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/drawterm.nix
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ let
         enableOCR = true;
 
         testScript = ''
+          machine = ${name}
+
           @polling_condition
           def drawterm_running():
               machine.succeed("pgrep drawterm")
diff --git a/nixos/tests/freetube.nix b/nixos/tests/freetube.nix
index 1d4b59a03102..2be5c67754e3 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/freetube.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/freetube.nix
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ let
 
         testScript = ''
           start_all()
+          machine = ${name}
           machine.wait_for_unit('graphical.target')
           machine.wait_for_text('Your Subscription list is currently empty')
           machine.send_key("ctrl-r")
diff --git a/nixos/tests/mympd.nix b/nixos/tests/mympd.nix
index 8d599dd3ad39..9760c697f81f 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/mympd.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/mympd.nix
@@ -15,14 +15,14 @@
 
   testScript = ''
     start_all();
-    machine.wait_for_unit("mympd.service");
+    mympd.wait_for_unit("mympd.service");
 
     # Ensure that mympd can connect to mpd
-    machine.wait_until_succeeds(
+    mympd.wait_until_succeeds(
       "journalctl -eu mympd -o cat | grep 'Connected to MPD'"
     )
 
     # Ensure that the web server is working
-    machine.succeed("curl http://localhost:8081 --compressed | grep -o myMPD")
+    mympd.succeed("curl http://localhost:8081 --compressed | grep -o myMPD")
   '';
 }
diff --git a/nixos/tests/openresty-lua.nix b/nixos/tests/openresty-lua.nix
index 8af2a0720eda..367154947371 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/openresty-lua.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/openresty-lua.nix
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ in
       webserver.succeed("mkdir -p /var/web")
       webserver.succeed("chown nginx:nginx /var/web")
       webserver.succeed("$(curl -vvv http://sandbox.test/test2-write)")
-      assert "404 Not Found" in machine.succeed(
+      assert "404 Not Found" in webserver.succeed(
           "curl -vvv -s http://sandbox.test/test2-read/bar.txt"
       )
     '';
diff --git a/nixos/tests/paisa.nix b/nixos/tests/paisa.nix
index f8baed78c88a..3ba279603556 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/paisa.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/paisa.nix
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
   testScript = ''
     start_all()
 
-    machine.systemctl("start network-online.target")
-    machine.wait_for_unit("network-online.target")
+    serviceEmptyConf.systemctl("start network-online.target")
+    serviceEmptyConf.wait_for_unit("network-online.target")
 
     with subtest("empty/default config test"):
       serviceEmptyConf.wait_for_unit("paisa.service")
diff --git a/nixos/tests/quickwit.nix b/nixos/tests/quickwit.nix
index f080285ca345..c9cb9bf5dbe0 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/quickwit.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/quickwit.nix
@@ -75,18 +75,18 @@ in
     )
 
     with subtest("verify UI installed"):
-      machine.succeed("curl -sSf http://127.0.0.1:7280/ui/")
+      server.succeed("curl -sSf http://127.0.0.1:7280/ui/")
 
     with subtest("injest and query data"):
       import json
 
       # Test CLI ingestion
-      print(machine.succeed('${pkgs.quickwit}/bin/quickwit index create --index-config ${pkgs.writeText "index.yaml" index_yaml}'))
+      print(server.succeed('${pkgs.quickwit}/bin/quickwit index create --index-config ${pkgs.writeText "index.yaml" index_yaml}'))
       # Important to use `--wait`, otherwise the queries below race with index processing.
-      print(machine.succeed('${pkgs.quickwit}/bin/quickwit index ingest --index example_server_logs --input-path ${pkgs.writeText "exampleDocs.json" exampleDocs} --wait'))
+      print(server.succeed('${pkgs.quickwit}/bin/quickwit index ingest --index example_server_logs --input-path ${pkgs.writeText "exampleDocs.json" exampleDocs} --wait'))
 
       # Test CLI query
-      cli_query_output = machine.succeed('${pkgs.quickwit}/bin/quickwit index search --index example_server_logs --query "exception"')
+      cli_query_output = server.succeed('${pkgs.quickwit}/bin/quickwit index search --index example_server_logs --query "exception"')
       print(cli_query_output)
 
       # Assert query result is as expected.
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ in
       assert num_hits == 3, f"cli_query_output contains unexpected number of results: {num_hits}"
 
       # Test API query
-      api_query_output = machine.succeed('curl --fail http://127.0.0.1:7280/api/v1/example_server_logs/search?query=exception')
+      api_query_output = server.succeed('curl --fail http://127.0.0.1:7280/api/v1/example_server_logs/search?query=exception')
       print(api_query_output)
 
     quickwit.log(quickwit.succeed(
diff --git a/nixos/tests/snmpd.nix b/nixos/tests/snmpd.nix
index 619c08426df9..044ab2be408c 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/snmpd.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/snmpd.nix
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 
   testScript = ''
     start_all();
-    machine.wait_for_unit("snmpd.service")
-    machine.succeed("snmpwalk -v 2c -c public localhost | grep SNMPv2-MIB::sysName.0");
+    snmpd.wait_for_unit("snmpd.service")
+    snmpd.succeed("snmpwalk -v 2c -c public localhost | grep SNMPv2-MIB::sysName.0");
   '';
 
 }
diff --git a/nixos/tests/systemd-journal-gateway.nix b/nixos/tests/systemd-journal-gateway.nix
index e77501127ca2..52c45033113c 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/systemd-journal-gateway.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/systemd-journal-gateway.nix
@@ -45,11 +45,11 @@
     client.wait_for_unit("multi-user.target")
 
     def copy_pem(file: str):
-      machine.copy_from_host(source=f"{tmpdir}/{file}", target=f"/run/secrets/{file}")
-      machine.succeed(f"chmod 600 /run/secrets/{file} && chown systemd-journal-gateway /run/secrets/{file}")
+      client.copy_from_host(source=f"{tmpdir}/{file}", target=f"/run/secrets/{file}")
+      client.succeed(f"chmod 600 /run/secrets/{file} && chown systemd-journal-gateway /run/secrets/{file}")
 
     with subtest("Copying keys and certificates"):
-      machine.succeed("mkdir -p /run/secrets/{client,server}")
+      client.succeed("mkdir -p /run/secrets/{client,server}")
       copy_pem("server/cert.pem")
       copy_pem("server/key.pem")
       copy_pem("client/cert.pem")
diff --git a/nixos/tests/tang.nix b/nixos/tests/tang.nix
index 0241b62dd3c7..d82b30af99f8 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/tang.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/tang.nix
@@ -48,44 +48,44 @@
     };
   testScript = ''
     start_all()
-    machine.wait_for_unit("sockets.target")
+    server.wait_for_unit("sockets.target")
 
     with subtest("Check keys are generated"):
-      machine.wait_until_succeeds("curl -v http://127.0.0.1:7654/adv")
-      key = machine.wait_until_succeeds("tang-show-keys 7654")
+      server.wait_until_succeeds("curl -v http://127.0.0.1:7654/adv")
+      key = server.wait_until_succeeds("tang-show-keys 7654")
 
     with subtest("Check systemd access list"):
-      machine.succeed("ping -c 3 192.168.0.1")
-      machine.fail("curl -v --connect-timeout 3 http://192.168.0.1:7654/adv")
+      server.succeed("ping -c 3 192.168.0.1")
+      server.fail("curl -v --connect-timeout 3 http://192.168.0.1:7654/adv")
 
     with subtest("Check basic encrypt and decrypt message"):
-      machine.wait_until_succeeds(f"""echo 'Hello World' | clevis encrypt tang '{{ "url": "http://127.0.0.1:7654", "thp":"{key}"}}' > /tmp/encrypted""")
-      decrypted = machine.wait_until_succeeds("clevis decrypt < /tmp/encrypted")
+      server.wait_until_succeeds(f"""echo 'Hello World' | clevis encrypt tang '{{ "url": "http://127.0.0.1:7654", "thp":"{key}"}}' > /tmp/encrypted""")
+      decrypted = server.wait_until_succeeds("clevis decrypt < /tmp/encrypted")
       assert decrypted.strip() == "Hello World"
-      machine.wait_until_succeeds("tang-show-keys 7654")
+      server.wait_until_succeeds("tang-show-keys 7654")
 
     with subtest("Check encrypt and decrypt disk"):
-      machine.succeed("cryptsetup luksFormat --force-password --batch-mode /dev/vdb <<<'password'")
-      machine.succeed(f"""clevis luks bind -s1 -y -f -d /dev/vdb tang '{{ "url": "http://127.0.0.1:7654", "thp":"{key}" }}' <<< 'password' """)
-      clevis_luks = machine.succeed("clevis luks list -d /dev/vdb")
+      server.succeed("cryptsetup luksFormat --force-password --batch-mode /dev/vdb <<<'password'")
+      server.succeed(f"""clevis luks bind -s1 -y -f -d /dev/vdb tang '{{ "url": "http://127.0.0.1:7654", "thp":"{key}" }}' <<< 'password' """)
+      clevis_luks = server.succeed("clevis luks list -d /dev/vdb")
       assert clevis_luks.strip() == """1: tang '{"url":"http://127.0.0.1:7654"}'"""
-      machine.succeed("clevis luks unlock -d /dev/vdb")
-      machine.succeed("find /dev/mapper -name 'luks*' -exec cryptsetup close {} +")
-      machine.succeed("clevis luks unlock -d /dev/vdb")
-      machine.succeed("find /dev/mapper -name 'luks*' -exec cryptsetup close {} +")
+      server.succeed("clevis luks unlock -d /dev/vdb")
+      server.succeed("find /dev/mapper -name 'luks*' -exec cryptsetup close {} +")
+      server.succeed("clevis luks unlock -d /dev/vdb")
+      server.succeed("find /dev/mapper -name 'luks*' -exec cryptsetup close {} +")
       # without tang available, unlock should fail
-      machine.succeed("systemctl stop tangd.socket")
-      machine.fail("clevis luks unlock -d /dev/vdb")
-      machine.succeed("systemctl start tangd.socket")
+      server.succeed("systemctl stop tangd.socket")
+      server.fail("clevis luks unlock -d /dev/vdb")
+      server.succeed("systemctl start tangd.socket")
 
     with subtest("Rotate server keys"):
-      machine.succeed("${pkgs.tang}/libexec/tangd-rotate-keys -d /var/lib/tang")
-      machine.succeed("clevis luks unlock -d /dev/vdb")
-      machine.succeed("find /dev/mapper -name 'luks*' -exec cryptsetup close {} +")
+      server.succeed("${pkgs.tang}/libexec/tangd-rotate-keys -d /var/lib/tang")
+      server.succeed("clevis luks unlock -d /dev/vdb")
+      server.succeed("find /dev/mapper -name 'luks*' -exec cryptsetup close {} +")
 
     with subtest("Test systemd service security"):
-        output = machine.succeed("systemd-analyze security tangd@.service")
-        machine.log(output)
+        output = server.succeed("systemd-analyze security tangd@.service")
+        server.log(output)
         assert output[-9:-1] == "SAFE :-}"
   '';
 }
diff --git a/nixos/tests/vscodium.nix b/nixos/tests/vscodium.nix
index 51c294d432e5..eee205e69607 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/vscodium.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/vscodium.nix
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ let
         enableOCR = true;
 
         testScript = ''
+          machine = ${name}
+
           @polling_condition
           def codium_running():
               machine.succeed('pgrep -x codium')
diff --git a/nixos/tests/web-apps/strichliste.nix b/nixos/tests/web-apps/strichliste.nix
index 9d64c113f0c2..36c3617af50e 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/web-apps/strichliste.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/web-apps/strichliste.nix
@@ -52,12 +52,12 @@
       start_all()
 
       def get_users():
-        response = machine.succeed("http --check-status http://strichliste.local/api/user")
+        response = server.succeed("http --check-status http://strichliste.local/api/user")
         users = json.loads(response)["users"]
         return users
 
       def get_user(uid: int):
-        response = machine.succeed(f"http --check-status http://strichliste.local/api/user/{uid}")
+        response = server.succeed(f"http --check-status http://strichliste.local/api/user/{uid}")
         user = json.loads(response)["user"]
         return user
 
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
           t.assertEqual(len(users), 0, "Strichliste must not have users.")
 
         with subtest("Create user"):
-          machine.succeed("http --check-status post http://strichliste.local/api/user name=Alice")
+          server.succeed("http --check-status post http://strichliste.local/api/user name=Alice")
           users = get_users()
           t.assertEqual(len(users), 1, "Strichliste must have exactly one user.")
 
@@ -77,19 +77,19 @@
           t.assertEqual(user["balance"], 0, "New users should have a balance of 0")
 
         with subtest("Deposit money"):
-          machine.succeed("http --check-status post http://strichliste.local/api/user/1/transaction amount=500")
+          server.succeed("http --check-status post http://strichliste.local/api/user/1/transaction amount=500")
           user = get_user(1)
           t.assertEqual(user["balance"], 500, "Balance must be 500 after depositing 500")
 
         with subtest("Dispense money"):
-          machine.succeed("http --check-status post http://strichliste.local/api/user/1/transaction amount=-1000")
+          server.succeed("http --check-status post http://strichliste.local/api/user/1/transaction amount=-1000")
           user = get_user(1)
           t.assertEqual(user["balance"], -500, "Balance must be -500 after dispensing 1000")
 
         with subtest("Undo transaction"):
-          response = machine.succeed("http --check-status post http://strichliste.local/api/user/1/transaction amount=7500")
+          response = server.succeed("http --check-status post http://strichliste.local/api/user/1/transaction amount=7500")
           transaction = json.loads(response)["transaction"]
-          machine.succeed(f"http --check-status delete http://strichliste.local/api/user/1/transaction/{transaction['id']}")
+          server.succeed(f"http --check-status delete http://strichliste.local/api/user/1/transaction/{transaction['id']}")
 
       server.wait_for_unit("phpfpm-strichliste.service")
 
diff --git a/nixos/tests/windmill/api-integration.nix b/nixos/tests/windmill/api-integration.nix
index 60d2f5276f26..df04af8fd223 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/windmill/api-integration.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/windmill/api-integration.nix
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
       # NOTE; Wait a couple of seconds for all windmill components to finalise their database migration flow. This prevents race conditions on schema constraints.
       time.sleep(10)  # seconds
       windmill.succeed("curl --silent --fail http://windmill:8001")
-      t.assertIn("v${pkgs.windmill.version}", machine.succeed("curl --silent --fail http://windmill:8001/api/version"), "Mismatched version response")
+      t.assertIn("v${pkgs.windmill.version}", windmill.succeed("curl --silent --fail http://windmill:8001/api/version"), "Mismatched version response")
 
     with subtest("Validation"):
       windmill.succeed("integration-test --language python3 --script ${./python3.script} --input ${./python3.input}")