diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 1ca1e6d4..077462e6 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
     ...
   }: let
     system = "x86_64-linux";
+    allowUnfree = true;
 
     inherit (nixpkgs) lib;
     flib = import ./lib.nix lib;
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@
     # manually import the packages subflake to avoid locking issues
     # this flake must have the same inputs that dotpkgs expects
     dotpkgs = (import ./dotpkgs/flake.nix).outputs inputs;
-  in {
+  in flib.spoofAllowUnfree allowUnfree {
     # merge the packages flake into this one
     inherit (dotpkgs) packages nixosModules homeManagerModules;
 
diff --git a/lib.nix b/lib.nix
index 425416d6..fd2e451c 100644
--- a/lib.nix
+++ b/lib.nix
@@ -12,4 +12,21 @@ lib: rec {
   ];
   # same as above but with an attrset of named flake inputs
   flatFlakes = system: builtins.mapAttrs (_: f: flatFlake f system);
+  # spoof the license of every package
+  spoofAllowUnfree = maybe: flake: (
+    if maybe
+    then lib.recursiveUpdate flake {
+      # spoof the licenses for local flake packages
+      packages =
+        builtins.mapAttrs (_: system:
+          builtins.mapAttrs (_: package:
+            package.overrideAttrs (old: {
+              meta.license =
+                old.meta.license // { free = true; };
+            })
+          ) system
+        ) flake.packages;
+    }
+    else flake
+  );
 }