diff --git a/flake.lock b/flake.lock
index d200bea0..111c1f37 100644
--- a/flake.lock
+++ b/flake.lock
@@ -802,6 +802,22 @@
         "type": "github"
       }
     },
+    "nixpkgs-master": {
+      "locked": {
+        "lastModified": 1761998647,
+        "narHash": "sha256-MFd2bpd3V/Nr2UhFE0uhF/21JNi5GrbCXqwCFCt4Mlg=",
+        "owner": "nixos",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "rev": "2a8c7895537748fb6d8f0a14c08a482ffe549441",
+        "type": "github"
+      },
+      "original": {
+        "owner": "nixos",
+        "ref": "master",
+        "repo": "nixpkgs",
+        "type": "github"
+      }
+    },
     "nixpkgs-patched": {
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1761672384,
@@ -866,22 +882,6 @@
         "type": "github"
       }
     },
-    "nixpkgs-unstable": {
-      "locked": {
-        "lastModified": 1758427187,
-        "narHash": "sha256-pHpxZ/IyCwoTQPtFIAG2QaxuSm8jWzrzBGjwQZIttJc=",
-        "owner": "nixos",
-        "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "rev": "554be6495561ff07b6c724047bdd7e0716aa7b46",
-        "type": "github"
-      },
-      "original": {
-        "owner": "nixos",
-        "ref": "nixos-unstable",
-        "repo": "nixpkgs",
-        "type": "github"
-      }
-    },
     "nixpkgs_2": {
       "locked": {
         "lastModified": 1748189127,
@@ -1083,9 +1083,9 @@
         "nixpak": "nixpak",
         "nixpkgs": "nixpkgs_5",
         "nixpkgs-darwin": "nixpkgs-darwin",
+        "nixpkgs-master": "nixpkgs-master",
         "nixpkgs-patched": "nixpkgs-patched",
         "nixpkgs-stable": "nixpkgs-stable_3",
-        "nixpkgs-unstable": "nixpkgs-unstable",
         "nu_scripts": "nu_scripts",
         "nuenv": "nuenv",
         "nur-ryan4yin": "nur-ryan4yin",
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index d7390b0b..c9d7c639 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -35,11 +35,13 @@
 
     # Official NixOS package source, using nixos's unstable branch by default
     nixpkgs.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
-    # nixpkgs-unstable.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable-small";
-    nixpkgs-unstable.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
     nixpkgs-stable.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-25.05";
+    # nixpkgs-unstable.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
 
+    # nixpkgs with some custom patches
     nixpkgs-patched.url = "github:ryan4yin/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable-patched";
+    # get some latest packages from the master branch
+    nixpkgs-master.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/master";
 
     # for macos
     # nixpkgs-darwin.url = "github:nixos/nixpkgs/nixpkgs-25.05-darwin";
diff --git a/hardening/nixpaks/default.nix b/hardening/nixpaks/default.nix
index 633ce37a..ea346650 100644
--- a/hardening/nixpaks/default.nix
+++ b/hardening/nixpaks/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   pkgs,
-  pkgs-patched,
+  pkgs-master,
   nixpak,
   ...
 }:
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ in
   nixpkgs.overlays = [
     (_: super: {
       nixpaks = {
-        qq = wrapper pkgs-patched ./qq.nix;
+        qq = wrapper pkgs-master ./qq.nix;
         wechat = wrapper super ./wechat.nix;
         telegram-desktop = wrapper super ./telegram-desktop.nix;
         firefox = wrapper super ./firefox.nix;
diff --git a/home/base/core/shells/default.nix b/home/base/core/shells/default.nix
index 56a0e29d..950ced82 100644
--- a/home/base/core/shells/default.nix
+++ b/home/base/core/shells/default.nix
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ in
   # NOTE: nushell will be launched in bash, so it can inherit all the eenvironment variables.
   programs.nushell = {
     enable = true;
-    # package = pkgs-unstable.nushell;
     configFile.source = ./config.nu;
     inherit shellAliases;
   };
diff --git a/home/base/gui/terminal/alacritty/default.nix b/home/base/gui/terminal/alacritty/default.nix
index 49932a96..8227cdba 100644
--- a/home/base/gui/terminal/alacritty/default.nix
+++ b/home/base/gui/terminal/alacritty/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 {
   pkgs,
-  pkgs-unstable,
   ...
 }:
 ###########################################################
@@ -26,7 +25,6 @@
 {
   programs.alacritty = {
     enable = true;
-    # package = pkgs-unstable.alacritty;
     # https://alacritty.org/config-alacritty.html
     settings = {
       window = {
diff --git a/home/base/tui/dev-tools.nix b/home/base/tui/dev-tools.nix
index 37e09672..592c863a 100644
--- a/home/base/tui/dev-tools.nix
+++ b/home/base/tui/dev-tools.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 {
   pkgs,
-  pkgs-unstable,
   ...
 }:
 {
diff --git a/home/base/tui/editors/neovim/default.nix b/home/base/tui/editors/neovim/default.nix
index 8d607537..5f292bdc 100644
--- a/home/base/tui/editors/neovim/default.nix
+++ b/home/base/tui/editors/neovim/default.nix
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
   config,
   lib,
   pkgs,
-  pkgs-unstable,
   ...
 }:
 ###############################################################################
@@ -29,7 +28,7 @@ in
 
   programs.neovim = {
     enable = true;
-    package = pkgs-unstable.neovim-unwrapped;
+    package = pkgs.neovim-unwrapped;
 
     # defaultEditor = true; # set EDITOR at system-wide level
     viAlias = true;
diff --git a/home/base/tui/editors/packages.nix b/home/base/tui/editors/packages.nix
index f19c84ca..10517c30 100644
--- a/home/base/tui/editors/packages.nix
+++ b/home/base/tui/editors/packages.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   pkgs,
-  pkgs-unstable,
+  pkgs-master,
   ...
 }:
 {
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
         marksman # language server for markdown
         glow # markdown previewer
         pandoc # document converter
-        pkgs-unstable.hugo # static site generator
+        pkgs-master.hugo # static site generator
 
         #-- sql
         sqlfluff
@@ -90,11 +90,11 @@
 
           #-- rust
           # we'd better use the rust-overlays for rust development
-          pkgs-unstable.rustc
-          pkgs-unstable.rust-analyzer
-          pkgs-unstable.cargo # rust package manager
-          pkgs-unstable.rustfmt
-          pkgs-unstable.clippy # rust linter
+          pkgs-master.rustc
+          pkgs-master.rust-analyzer
+          pkgs-master.cargo # rust package manager
+          pkgs-master.rustfmt
+          pkgs-master.clippy # rust linter
 
           #-- golang
           go
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
       #   fnlfmt # fennel
       #   (
       #     if pkgs.stdenv.isLinux && pkgs.stdenv.isx86
-      #     then pkgs-unstable.akkuPackages.scheme-langserver
+      #     then pkgs-master.akkuPackages.scheme-langserver
       #     else pkgs.emptyDirectory
       #   )
       # ]
diff --git a/home/base/tui/encryption/default.nix b/home/base/tui/encryption/default.nix
index d31f34e6..ef332208 100644
--- a/home/base/tui/encryption/default.nix
+++ b/home/base/tui/encryption/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 {
   pkgs,
-  pkgs-unstable,
   ...
 }:
 {
diff --git a/home/linux/gui/base/creative.nix b/home/linux/gui/base/creative.nix
index c0326c0d..2ccdb2b4 100644
--- a/home/linux/gui/base/creative.nix
+++ b/home/linux/gui/base/creative.nix
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 {
   lib,
   pkgs,
-  pkgs-unstable,
-  # pkgs-stable,
-  nur-ryan4yin,
   blender-bin,
   ...
 }:
@@ -43,36 +40,32 @@
     # live streaming
     obs-studio = {
       enable = pkgs.stdenv.isx86_64;
-      plugins =
-        with pkgs.obs-studio-plugins;
-        [
-          # screen capture
-          wlrobs
-          # obs-ndi
-          # obs-nvfbc
-          obs-teleport
-          # obs-hyperion
-          droidcam-obs
-          obs-vkcapture
-          obs-gstreamer
-          input-overlay
-          obs-multi-rtmp
-          obs-source-clone
-          obs-shaderfilter
-          obs-source-record
-          obs-livesplit-one
-          looking-glass-obs
-          obs-vintage-filter
-          obs-command-source
-          obs-move-transition
-          obs-backgroundremoval
-          # advanced-scene-switcher
-          obs-pipewire-audio-capture
-        ]
-        ++ (lib.optionals pkgs.stdenv.isx86_64 [
-          obs-vaapi
-          obs-3d-effect
-        ]);
+      plugins = with pkgs.obs-studio-plugins; [
+        # screen capture
+        wlrobs
+        # obs-ndi
+        # obs-nvfbc
+        obs-teleport
+        # obs-hyperion
+        droidcam-obs
+        obs-vkcapture
+        obs-gstreamer
+        input-overlay
+        obs-multi-rtmp
+        obs-source-clone
+        obs-shaderfilter
+        obs-source-record
+        obs-livesplit-one
+        looking-glass-obs
+        obs-vintage-filter
+        obs-command-source
+        obs-move-transition
+        obs-backgroundremoval
+        # advanced-scene-switcher
+        obs-pipewire-audio-capture
+        obs-vaapi
+        obs-3d-effect
+      ];
     };
   };
 }
diff --git a/home/linux/gui/base/media.nix b/home/linux/gui/base/media.nix
index 6862e619..7cea4795 100644
--- a/home/linux/gui/base/media.nix
+++ b/home/linux/gui/base/media.nix
@@ -1,29 +1,25 @@
 {
   pkgs,
   pkgs-x64,
-  pkgs-unstable,
-  nur-ryan4yin,
   ...
 }:
 # media - control and enjoy audio/video
 {
-  home.packages =
-    with pkgs;
-    [
-      # audio control
-      pavucontrol
-      playerctl
-      pulsemixer
-      imv # simple image viewer
+  home.packages = with pkgs; [
+    # audio control
+    pavucontrol
+    playerctl
+    pulsemixer
+    imv # simple image viewer
 
-      # video/audio tools
-      libva-utils
-      vdpauinfo
-      vulkan-tools
-      glxinfo
-      nvitop
-      (pkgs-x64.zoom-us.override { hyprlandXdgDesktopPortalSupport = true; })
-    ];
+    # video/audio tools
+    libva-utils
+    vdpauinfo
+    vulkan-tools
+    glxinfo
+    nvitop
+    (pkgs-x64.zoom-us.override { hyprlandXdgDesktopPortalSupport = true; })
+  ];
 
   programs.mpv = {
     enable = true;
diff --git a/home/linux/gui/base/misc.nix b/home/linux/gui/base/misc.nix
index f0478d69..df6320b5 100644
--- a/home/linux/gui/base/misc.nix
+++ b/home/linux/gui/base/misc.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 {
   pkgs,
-  pkgs-unstable,
   ...
 }:
 {
@@ -15,10 +14,10 @@
     freerdp # required by remmina
 
     # my custom hardened packages
-    pkgs.nixpaks.qq
-    pkgs.nixpaks.telegram-desktop
+    nixpaks.qq
+    nixpaks.telegram-desktop
     # qqmusic
-    pkgs.bwraps.wechat
+    bwraps.wechat
     # discord # update too frequently, use the web version instead
   ];
 
diff --git a/home/linux/gui/editors/default.nix b/home/linux/gui/editors/default.nix
index b8f946b9..c9ca073c 100644
--- a/home/linux/gui/editors/default.nix
+++ b/home/linux/gui/editors/default.nix
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-{ pkgs, ... }:
+{ pkgs-master, ... }:
 {
-  home.packages = with pkgs; [
+  home.packages = with pkgs-master; [
     zed-editor
     (code-cursor.overrideAttrs (oldAttrs: rec {
       pname = "cursor";
diff --git a/hosts/12kingdoms-shoukei/apple-silicon.nix b/hosts/12kingdoms-shoukei/apple-silicon.nix
index 49a14a12..3abea7e9 100644
--- a/hosts/12kingdoms-shoukei/apple-silicon.nix
+++ b/hosts/12kingdoms-shoukei/apple-silicon.nix
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  pkgs-unstable,
+  pkgs,
   nixos-apple-silicon,
   my-asahi-firmware,
   ...
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
     ];
   };
 
-  environment.systemPackages = with pkgs-unstable; [
+  environment.systemPackages = with pkgs; [
     box64 # Linux Userspace x86 and x86_64 Emulator, run x86_64 apps(such as games, gui apps) on aarch64.
     # https://asahilinux.org/2024/12/muvm-x11-bridging/
     # https://github.com/nix-community/nixos-apple-silicon/issues/237
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
   # After adding this snippet, you need to restart the system for the touchbar to work.
   hardware.apple.touchBar = {
     enable = true;
-    package = pkgs-unstable.tiny-dfr;
+    package = pkgs.tiny-dfr;
     # https://github.com/WhatAmISupposedToPutHere/tiny-dfr/blob/master/share/tiny-dfr/config.toml
     settings = {
       # F{number} keys are shown when Fn is not pressed by default.
diff --git a/modules/darwin/apps.nix b/modules/darwin/apps.nix
index 9e28441c..fd573b70 100644
--- a/modules/darwin/apps.nix
+++ b/modules/darwin/apps.nix
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
   config,
   lib,
   pkgs,
-  pkgs-unstable,
   ...
 }:
 ##########################################################################
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ in
   programs.zsh.enable = true;
   environment.shells = [
     pkgs.zsh
-    pkgs-unstable.nushell # my custom shell
+    pkgs.nushell # my custom shell
   ];
 
   # homebrew need to be installed manually, see https://brew.sh
diff --git a/modules/nixos/desktop/misc.nix b/modules/nixos/desktop/misc.nix
index 3c6d75dc..4c07c57e 100644
--- a/modules/nixos/desktop/misc.nix
+++ b/modules/nixos/desktop/misc.nix
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 {
-  config,
   lib,
   pkgs,
-  pkgs-unstable,
   ...
 }:
 {
diff --git a/modules/nixos/desktop/peripherals.nix b/modules/nixos/desktop/peripherals.nix
index f3c3bd42..58c997ba 100644
--- a/modules/nixos/desktop/peripherals.nix
+++ b/modules/nixos/desktop/peripherals.nix
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
   #     https://nixos.wiki/wiki/PipeWire
   services.pipewire = {
     enable = true;
-    # package = pkgs-unstable.pipewire;
     alsa.enable = true;
     alsa.support32Bit = true;
     pulse.enable = true;
diff --git a/outputs/default.nix b/outputs/default.nix
index 9afea3b5..7f8695a6 100644
--- a/outputs/default.nix
+++ b/outputs/default.nix
@@ -18,11 +18,12 @@ let
       inherit mylib myvars;
 
       # use unstable branch for some packages to get the latest updates
-      pkgs-unstable = import inputs.nixpkgs-unstable {
-        inherit system; # refer the `system` parameter form outer scope recursively
-        # To use chrome, we need to allow the installation of non-free software
-        config.allowUnfree = true;
-      };
+      # pkgs-unstable = import inputs.nixpkgs-unstable {
+      #   inherit system; # refer the `system` parameter form outer scope recursively
+      #   # To use chrome, we need to allow the installation of non-free software
+      #   config.allowUnfree = true;
+      # };
+
       pkgs-stable = import inputs.nixpkgs-stable {
         inherit system;
         # To use chrome, we need to allow the installation of non-free software
@@ -30,7 +31,12 @@ let
       };
       pkgs-patched = import inputs.nixpkgs-patched {
         inherit system;
-        # To use chrome, we need to allow the installation of non-free software
+        # to use chrome, we need to allow the installation of non-free software
+        config.allowUnfree = true;
+      };
+      pkgs-master = import inputs.nixpkgs-master {
+        inherit system;
+        # to use chrome, we need to allow the installation of non-free software
         config.allowUnfree = true;
       };