diff --git a/installer/artifacts.nix b/installer/artifacts.nix
index 087b1d1..c862a21 100644
--- a/installer/artifacts.nix
+++ b/installer/artifacts.nix
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ let
       targetConfig = self.nixosConfigurations.${hostName}.config;
       targetSystem = targetConfig.system.build.toplevel;
       diskoScript = targetConfig.system.build.diskoScript;
+      
+      # Build the closure export at build time (not runtime in ISO)
+      closureExport = pkgs.runCommand "closure-export-${hostName}" { } ''
+        mkdir -p $out
+        ${pkgs.nix}/bin/nix-store --export $(${pkgs.nix}/bin/nix-store -qR ${targetSystem}) > $out/closure.nar
+      '';
     in
     nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
       inherit system;
@@ -29,6 +35,7 @@ let
           hostName
           targetSystem
           diskoScript
+          closureExport
           ;
         hostPlatform = system;
       };
diff --git a/installer/auto-install.nix b/installer/auto-install.nix
index 68640cc..f370bb5 100644
--- a/installer/auto-install.nix
+++ b/installer/auto-install.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 # This module defines a systemd service that automatically installs NixOS to the disk.
 # It is intended to be used in an installation ISO.
-# It expects `targetSystem` (the closure to install) and `diskoScript` (the partitioning script) to be passed as arguments.
+# It expects `targetSystem` (the closure to install), `diskoScript` (the partitioning script),
+# and `closureExport` (the pre-built NAR archive) to be passed as arguments.
 {
   config,
   lib,
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@
   hostPlatform,
   targetSystem,
   diskoScript,
+  closureExport,
   ...
 }:
 {
@@ -53,14 +55,17 @@
       echo ">>> Running disko script..."
       ${diskoScript}
 
+      echo ">>> Importing pre-built closure into target store..."
+      # Import the closure that was exported at build time
+      ${pkgs.nix}/bin/nix-store --store /mnt --import < /closure-export/closure.nar > /dev/null
+
       echo ">>> Running nixos-install..."
-      # Use only local store - don't fetch from binary cache or build
-      nixos-install \
+      # Install with pre-built closure already imported (no evaluation or fetching needed)
+      ${pkgs.nix}/bin/nixos-install \
         --no-root-passwd \
         --root /mnt \
         --system ${targetSystem} \
-        --option substitute false \
-        --option build-use-sandbox false
+        --option substitute false
 
       echo ">>> Done. Rebooting."
       systemctl reboot