--- a/host/test/test_https.luan	Tue Jan 27 19:51:41 2026 -0800
+++ b/host/test/test_https.luan	Tue Jan 27 21:50:37 2026 -0700
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@
 local domain = "https.me.luan.software"
 local site_dir = uri("file:local")
 local luanhost_dir = uri("file:..")
+local nginx_default_conf = uri("file:../local/nginx.default.conf")
 local dry_run = true
 
 site_dir.mkdir()
 
-Https.do_set_https(is_https,domain,site_dir,luanhost_dir,dry_run)
+Https.do_set_https(is_https,domain,site_dir,luanhost_dir,nginx_default_conf,dry_run)

--- a/src/luan/host/Https.luan	Tue Jan 27 19:51:41 2026 -0800
+++ b/src/luan/host/Https.luan	Tue Jan 27 21:50:37 2026 -0700
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@
 -- for testing
 Https.delete_junk = delete_junk
 
-local function nginx_ssl_conf(domain,files,luanhost_dir)
+local function nginx_ssl_conf(domain,files,nginx_default_conf)
 %>
 	server {
 		server_name <%=domain%>;
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@
 
 		ssl_certificate <%= files.local_cer_file.canonical().to_string() %>;
 		ssl_certificate_key <%= files.key_file.canonical().to_string() %>;
-		include <%= luanhost_dir.canonical().to_string() %>/local/nginx.default.conf;
+		include <%= nginx_default_conf.canonical().to_string() %>;
 	}
 <%
 end
@@ -171,17 +171,17 @@
 
 local ssl_renewal_period = Time.period{days=30}
 
-function Https.update(domain,site_dir,luanhost_dir)
+function Https.update(domain,site_dir,nginx_default_conf)
 	local files = get_files(domain,site_dir)
 	if files.nginx_file.exists() then
 		-- sys_logger.info("update "..domain)
-		local nginx = ` nginx_ssl_conf(domain,files,luanhost_dir) `
+		local nginx = ` nginx_ssl_conf(domain,files,nginx_default_conf) `
 		files.nginx_file.write(nginx)
 	end
 	delete_junk(domain,site_dir)
 end
 
-local function do_set_https(is_https,domain,site_dir,luanhost_dir,dry_run)
+local function do_set_https(is_https,domain,site_dir,luanhost_dir,nginx_default_conf,dry_run)
 	local files = get_files(domain,site_dir)
 
 	-- luan/host
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@
 				-- the nginx config only requires 2 files:
 				-- fullchain.cer and DOMAIN.key
 				logger.info("writing nginx conf to "..files.nginx_file.canonical().to_string())
-				local nginx = ` nginx_ssl_conf(domain,files,luanhost_dir) `
+				local nginx = ` nginx_ssl_conf(domain,files,nginx_default_conf) `
 				files.nginx_file.write(nginx)
 				reload_nginx(luanhost_dir_str)
 			end
@@ -288,13 +288,14 @@
 	local domain = Http.domain
 	local site_dir = uri("site:").parent()
 	local luanhost_dir = uri("file:.")
+	local nginx_default_conf = uri("file:local/nginx.default.conf")
 
 	-- use for testing, so as to not hit rate limits
 	-- on the real letsencrypt servers
 	local dry_run = false
 
 	if not try_synchronized( function()
-		do_set_https(is_https,domain,site_dir,luanhost_dir,dry_run)
+		do_set_https(is_https,domain,site_dir,luanhost_dir,nginx_default_conf,dry_run)
 	end, domain..".lock", 0 )() then
 		logger.info("set_https already running for "..domain..", skipping")
 	end

--- a/src/luan/host/update.luan	Tue Jan 27 19:51:41 2026 -0800
+++ b/src/luan/host/update.luan	Tue Jan 27 21:50:37 2026 -0700
@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@
 local Https = require "classpath:luan/host/Https.luan"
 
 
-local luanhost_dir = Io.schemes.file(".").canonical()
-local sites_dir = luanhost_dir.child("sites")
+local nginx_default_conf = Io.schemes.file("local/nginx.default.conf").canonical()
+local sites_dir = Io.schemes.file("sites")
 sites_dir.mkdir()
 
 local children = sites_dir.children()
 for _, site_dir in ipairs(children) do
 	local domain = site_dir.name()
-	Https.update(domain, site_dir, luanhost_dir)
+	Https.update(domain, site_dir, nginx_default_conf)
 end