diff --git a/nix/tests/default.nix b/nix/tests/default.nix
index 9855dcc1..0aa34e08 100644
--- a/nix/tests/default.nix
+++ b/nix/tests/default.nix
@@ -6,6 +6,69 @@
       pkgs,
       ...
     }:
+    let
+      baseTestScript =
+        pkgs.writers.writePython3Bin "do_test" { libraries = [ pkgs.python3Packages.matrix-nio ]; }
+          ''
+            import asyncio
+            import nio
+
+
+            async def main() -> None:
+                # Connect to continuwuity
+                client = nio.AsyncClient("http://continuwuity:6167", "alice")
+
+                # Register as user alice
+                response = await client.register("alice", "my-secret-password")
+
+                # Log in as user alice
+                response = await client.login("my-secret-password")
+
+                # Create a new room
+                response = await client.room_create(federate=False)
+                print("Matrix room create response:", response)
+                assert isinstance(response, nio.RoomCreateResponse)
+                room_id = response.room_id
+
+                # Join the room
+                response = await client.join(room_id)
+                print("Matrix join response:", response)
+                assert isinstance(response, nio.JoinResponse)
+
+                # Send a message to the room
+                response = await client.room_send(
+                    room_id=room_id,
+                    message_type="m.room.message",
+                    content={
+                        "msgtype": "m.text",
+                        "body": "Hello continuwuity!"
+                    }
+                )
+                print("Matrix room send response:", response)
+                assert isinstance(response, nio.RoomSendResponse)
+
+                # Sync responses
+                response = await client.sync(timeout=30000)
+                print("Matrix sync response:", response)
+                assert isinstance(response, nio.SyncResponse)
+
+                # Check the message was received by continuwuity
+                last_message = response.rooms.join[room_id].timeline.events[-1].body
+                assert last_message == "Hello continuwuity!"
+
+                # Leave the room
+                response = await client.room_leave(room_id)
+                print("Matrix room leave response:", response)
+                assert isinstance(response, nio.RoomLeaveResponse)
+
+                # Close the client
+                await client.close()
+
+
+            if __name__ == "__main__":
+                asyncio.run(main())
+          '';
+    in
     {
       # run some nixos tests as checks
       checks = lib.pipe self'.packages [
@@ -18,106 +81,69 @@
         # this test was initially yoinked from
         #
         # https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/960ce26339661b1b69c6f12b9063ca51b688615f/nixos/tests/matrix/continuwuity.nix
-        (builtins.map (name: {
-          name = "test-${name}";
-          value = pkgs.testers.runNixOSTest {
-            inherit name;
+        (builtins.concatMap (
+          name:
+          builtins.map
+            (
+              { config, suffix }:
+              {
+                name = "test-${name}-${suffix}";
+                value = pkgs.testers.runNixOSTest {
+                  inherit name;
 
-            nodes = {
-              continuwuity = {
-                services.matrix-continuwuity = {
-                  enable = true;
-                  package = self'.packages.${name};
-                  settings.global = {
+                  nodes = {
+                    continuwuity = {
+                      services.matrix-continuwuity = {
+                        enable = true;
+                        package = self'.packages.${name};
+                        settings = config;
+                        extraEnvironment.RUST_BACKTRACE = "yes";
+                      };
+                      networking.firewall.allowedTCPPorts = [ 6167 ];
+                    };
+                    client.environment.systemPackages = [ baseTestScript ];
+                  };
+
+                  testScript = ''
+                    start_all()
+
+                    with subtest("start continuwuity"):
+                          continuwuity.wait_for_unit("continuwuity.service")
+                          continuwuity.wait_for_open_port(6167)
+
+                    with subtest("ensure messages can be exchanged"):
+                          client.succeed("${lib.getExe baseTestScript} >&2")
+                  '';
+
+                };
+              }
+            )
+            [
+              {
+                suffix = "base";
+                config = {
+                  global = {
                     server_name = name;
                     address = [ "0.0.0.0" ];
                     allow_registration = true;
                     yes_i_am_very_very_sure_i_want_an_open_registration_server_prone_to_abuse = true;
                   };
-                  extraEnvironment.RUST_BACKTRACE = "yes";
                 };
-                networking.firewall.allowedTCPPorts = [ 6167 ];
-              };
-              client =
-                { pkgs, ... }:
-                {
-                  environment.systemPackages = [
-                    (pkgs.writers.writePython3Bin "do_test" { libraries = [ pkgs.python3Packages.matrix-nio ]; } ''
-                      import asyncio
-                      import nio
-
-
-                      async def main() -> None:
-                          # Connect to continuwuity
-                          client = nio.AsyncClient("http://continuwuity:6167", "alice")
-
-                          # Register as user alice
-                          response = await client.register("alice", "my-secret-password")
-
-                          # Log in as user alice
-                          response = await client.login("my-secret-password")
-
-                          # Create a new room
-                          response = await client.room_create(federate=False)
-                          print("Matrix room create response:", response)
-                          assert isinstance(response, nio.RoomCreateResponse)
-                          room_id = response.room_id
-
-                          # Join the room
-                          response = await client.join(room_id)
-                          print("Matrix join response:", response)
-                          assert isinstance(response, nio.JoinResponse)
-
-                          # Send a message to the room
-                          response = await client.room_send(
-                              room_id=room_id,
-                              message_type="m.room.message",
-                              content={
-                                  "msgtype": "m.text",
-                                  "body": "Hello continuwuity!"
-                              }
-                          )
-                          print("Matrix room send response:", response)
-                          assert isinstance(response, nio.RoomSendResponse)
-
-                          # Sync responses
-                          response = await client.sync(timeout=30000)
-                          print("Matrix sync response:", response)
-                          assert isinstance(response, nio.SyncResponse)
-
-                          # Check the message was received by continuwuity
-                          last_message = response.rooms.join[room_id].timeline.events[-1].body
-                          assert last_message == "Hello continuwuity!"
-
-                          # Leave the room
-                          response = await client.room_leave(room_id)
-                          print("Matrix room leave response:", response)
-                          assert isinstance(response, nio.RoomLeaveResponse)
-
-                          # Close the client
-                          await client.close()
-
-
-                      if __name__ == "__main__":
-                          asyncio.run(main())
-                    '')
-                  ];
+              }
+              {
+                suffix = "with-room-version";
+                config = {
+                  global = {
+                    server_name = name;
+                    address = [ "0.0.0.0" ];
+                    allow_registration = true;
+                    yes_i_am_very_very_sure_i_want_an_open_registration_server_prone_to_abuse = true;
+                    default_room_version = "12";
+                  };
                 };
-            };
-
-            testScript = ''
-              start_all()
-
-              with subtest("start continuwuity"):
-                    continuwuity.wait_for_unit("continuwuity.service")
-                    continuwuity.wait_for_open_port(6167)
-
-              with subtest("ensure messages can be exchanged"):
-                    client.succeed("do_test >&2")
-            '';
-
-          };
-        }))
+              }
+            ]
+        ))
         builtins.listToAttrs
       ];
     };