diff --git a/modules/files.nix b/modules/files.nix
index 66d71510..c61560c5 100644
--- a/modules/files.nix
+++ b/modules/files.nix
@@ -9,27 +9,9 @@ let
 
   homeDirectory = config.home.homeDirectory;
 
-  # Figures out a valid Nix store name for the given path.
-  storeFileName = path:
-    let
-      # All characters that are considered safe. Note "-" is not
-      # included to avoid "-" followed by digit being interpreted as a
-      # version.
-      safeChars =
-        [ "+" "." "_" "?" "=" ]
-        ++ lowerChars
-        ++ upperChars
-        ++ stringToCharacters "0123456789";
-
-      empties = l: genList (x: "") (length l);
-
-      unsafeInName = stringToCharacters (
-        replaceStrings safeChars (empties safeChars) path
-      );
-
-      safeName = replaceStrings unsafeInName (empties unsafeInName) path;
-    in
-      "home_file_" + safeName;
+  fileType = (import lib/file-type.nix {
+    inherit homeDirectory lib pkgs;
+  }).fileType;
 
   # A symbolic link whose target path matches this pattern will be
   # considered part of a Home Manager generation.
@@ -42,67 +24,7 @@ in
     home.file = mkOption {
       description = "Attribute set of files to link into the user home.";
       default = {};
-      type = types.loaOf (types.submodule (
-        { name, config, ... }: {
-          options = {
-            target = mkOption {
-              type = types.str;
-              apply = removePrefix (homeDirectory + "/");
-              description = ''
-                Path to target file relative to <envar>HOME</envar>.
-              '';
-            };
-
-            text = mkOption {
-              default = null;
-              type = types.nullOr types.lines;
-              description = "Text of the file.";
-            };
-
-            source = mkOption {
-              type = types.path;
-              description = ''
-                Path of the source file. The file name must not start
-                with a period since Nix will not allow such names in
-                the Nix store.
-                </para><para>
-                This may refer to a directory.
-              '';
-            };
-
-            mode = mkOption {
-              type = types.nullOr types.str;
-              default = null;
-              description = ''
-                The permissions to apply to the file.
-                </para><para>
-                DEPRECATED: use <varname>home.file.&lt;name?&gt;.executable</varname>
-                instead.
-              '';
-            };
-
-            executable = mkOption {
-              type = types.nullOr types.bool;
-              default = null;
-              description = ''
-                Set the execute bit. If <literal>null</literal>, defaults to the mode
-                of the <varname>source</varname> file or to <literal>false</literal>
-                for files created through the <varname>text</varname> option.
-              '';
-            };
-          };
-
-          config = {
-            target = mkDefault name;
-            source = mkIf (config.text != null) (
-              mkDefault (pkgs.writeTextFile {
-                inherit (config) executable text;
-                name = storeFileName name;
-              })
-            );
-          };
-        })
-      );
+      type = fileType "<envar>HOME</envar>" homeDirectory;
     };
 
     home-files = mkOption {
diff --git a/modules/lib/file-type.nix b/modules/lib/file-type.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ebdcb774
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/lib/file-type.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+{ homeDirectory, lib, pkgs }:
+
+with lib;
+
+let
+
+  # Figures out a valid Nix store name for the given path.
+  storeFileName = path:
+    let
+      # All characters that are considered safe. Note "-" is not
+      # included to avoid "-" followed by digit being interpreted as a
+      # version.
+      safeChars =
+        [ "+" "." "_" "?" "=" ]
+        ++ lowerChars
+        ++ upperChars
+        ++ stringToCharacters "0123456789";
+
+      empties = l: genList (x: "") (length l);
+
+      unsafeInName = stringToCharacters (
+        replaceStrings safeChars (empties safeChars) path
+      );
+
+      safeName = replaceStrings unsafeInName (empties unsafeInName) path;
+    in
+      "home_file_" + safeName;
+
+in
+
+{
+  # Constructs a type suitable for a `home.file` like option. The
+  # target path may be either absolute or relative, in which case it
+  # is relative the `basePath` argument (which itself must be an
+  # absolute path).
+  #
+  # Arguments:
+  #   - basePathDesc   docbook compatible description of the base path
+  #   - basePath       the file base path
+  fileType = basePathDesc: basePath: types.loaOf (types.submodule (
+    { name, config, ... }: {
+      options = {
+        target = mkOption {
+          type = types.str;
+          apply = p:
+            let
+              absPath = if hasPrefix "/" p then p else "${basePath}/${p}";
+            in
+              removePrefix (homeDirectory + "/") absPath;
+          description = ''
+            Path to target file relative to ${basePathDesc}.
+          '';
+        };
+
+        text = mkOption {
+          default = null;
+          type = types.nullOr types.lines;
+          description = "Text of the file.";
+        };
+
+        source = mkOption {
+          type = types.path;
+          description = ''
+            Path of the source file. The file name must not start
+            with a period since Nix will not allow such names in
+            the Nix store.
+            </para><para>
+            This may refer to a directory.
+          '';
+        };
+
+        mode = mkOption {
+          type = types.nullOr types.str;
+          default = null;
+          description = ''
+            The permissions to apply to the file.
+            </para><para>
+            DEPRECATED: use <varname>home.file.&lt;name?&gt;.executable</varname>
+            instead.
+          '';
+        };
+
+        executable = mkOption {
+          type = types.nullOr types.bool;
+          default = null;
+          description = ''
+            Set the execute bit. If <literal>null</literal>, defaults to the mode
+            of the <varname>source</varname> file or to <literal>false</literal>
+            for files created through the <varname>text</varname> option.
+          '';
+        };
+      };
+
+      config = {
+        target = mkDefault name;
+        source = mkIf (config.text != null) (
+          mkDefault (pkgs.writeTextFile {
+            inherit (config) executable text;
+            name = storeFileName name;
+          })
+        );
+      };
+    }
+  ));
+}