diff --git a/machines/modules/malobeo/microvm_host.nix b/machines/modules/malobeo/microvm_host.nix
index 7ff90ac4..0dbbafc5 100644
--- a/machines/modules/malobeo/microvm_host.nix
+++ b/machines/modules/malobeo/microvm_host.nix
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ in
     inputs.microvm.nixosModules.host
   ];
 
-  config = { 
-    systemd.network = mkIf cfg.enableHostBridge {
+  config = mkIf cfg.enableHostBridge { 
+    systemd.network = {
       enable = true;
       # create a bride device that all the microvms will be connected to
       netdevs."10-microvm".netdevConfig = {
@@ -54,16 +54,13 @@ in
         } ];
       };
 
-    } // mkIf (!hostEmpty) {
-
       # connect the vms to the bridge
       networks."11-microvm" = {
         matchConfig.Name = "vm-*";
         networkConfig.Bridge = "microvm";
       };
-    };
+    }; 
 
-    microvm.autostart = cfg.deployHosts;
     microvm.vms = 
     let
       # Map the values to each hostname to then generate a Attrs using listToAttrs