diff --git a/deprecated.nix b/deprecated.nix
index b45f7e4..fd90476 100644
--- a/deprecated.nix
+++ b/deprecated.nix
@@ -90,6 +90,14 @@ rec {
       )
   ;
 
+  importModules =
+    lib.warn ''
+      Deprecated Function: lib.importModules.
+
+      Use lib.importExportableModules instead to set `exportedModules` option
+    ''
+      importers'.importExportableModules;
+
   importers =
     lib.warn ''
       Deprecated Attribute Set: lib.importers.
diff --git a/doc/api-reference-devshell.md b/doc/api-reference-devshell.md
index c061840..91f4a48 100755
--- a/doc/api-reference-devshell.md
+++ b/doc/api-reference-devshell.md
@@ -19,24 +19,7 @@ submodule or path convertible to it
 
 
 
-## devshell.externalModules
-modules to include that won't be exported
-meant importing modules from external flakes
-
-
-*_Type_*:
-list of valid modules or anything convertible to it or path convertible to it
-
-
-*_Default_*
-```
-[]
-```
-
-
-
-
-## devshell.modules
+## devshell.exportedModules
 modules to include in all hosts and export to devshellModules output
 
 
@@ -52,3 +35,38 @@ list of valid module or path convertible to its or anything convertible to it
 
 
 
+## devshell.externalModules
+ERROR: The `externalModules` option has been removed.
+Any modules that should be exported should be defined with the `exportedModules`
+option and all other modules should just go into the `modules` option.
+
+
+*_Type_*:
+list of valid modules or anything convertible to it or path convertible to it
+
+
+*_Default_*
+```
+[]
+```
+
+
+
+
+## devshell.modules
+modules to include that won't be exported
+meant importing modules from external flakes
+
+
+*_Type_*:
+list of valid modules or anything convertible to it
+
+
+*_Default_*
+```
+[]
+```
+
+
+
+
diff --git a/doc/api-reference-home.md b/doc/api-reference-home.md
index 796d423..e2d4c45 100755
--- a/doc/api-reference-home.md
+++ b/doc/api-reference-home.md
@@ -18,9 +18,26 @@ submodule or path convertible to it
 
 
 
+## home.exportedModules
+modules to include in all hosts and export to homeModules output
+
+
+*_Type_*:
+list of valid modules or anything convertible to it
+
+
+*_Default_*
+```
+[]
+```
+
+
+
+
 ## home.externalModules
-modules to include that won't be exported
-meant importing modules from external flakes
+ERROR: The `externalModules` option has been removed.
+Any modules that should be exported should be defined with the `exportedModules`
+option and all other modules should just go into the `modules` option.
 
 
 *_Type_*:
@@ -68,7 +85,8 @@ null
 
 
 ## home.modules
-modules to include in all hosts and export to homeModules output
+modules to include that won't be exported
+meant importing modules from external flakes
 
 
 *_Type_*:
diff --git a/doc/api-reference-nixos.md b/doc/api-reference-nixos.md
index adedc19..ad4e295 100755
--- a/doc/api-reference-nixos.md
+++ b/doc/api-reference-nixos.md
@@ -49,9 +49,26 @@ channel defined in `channels`
 
 
 
+## nixos.hostDefaults.exportedModules
+modules to include in all hosts and export to nixosModules output
+
+
+*_Type_*:
+list of valid modules or anything convertible to it
+
+
+*_Default_*
+```
+[]
+```
+
+
+
+
 ## nixos.hostDefaults.externalModules
-modules to include that won't be exported
-meant importing modules from external flakes
+ERROR: The `externalModules` option has been removed.
+Any modules that should be exported should be defined with the `exportedModules`
+option and all other modules should just go into the `modules` option.
 
 
 *_Type_*:
@@ -67,7 +84,8 @@ list of valid modules or anything convertible to it or path convertible to it
 
 
 ## nixos.hostDefaults.modules
-modules to include in all hosts and export to nixosModules output
+modules to include that won't be exported
+meant importing modules from external flakes
 
 
 *_Type_*:
diff --git a/examples/downstream b/examples/downstream
index 079adc4..f2c363c 160000
--- a/examples/downstream
+++ b/examples/downstream
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 079adc4474231d5582fee5574bc5bcc6f133e5ac
+Subproject commit f2c363cadbbd50032f0030de3a28ed8ecdd4fa42
diff --git a/examples/groupByConfig/devshell/default.nix b/examples/groupByConfig/devshell/default.nix
index 46d049d..40c2d35 100644
--- a/examples/groupByConfig/devshell/default.nix
+++ b/examples/groupByConfig/devshell/default.nix
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 { self, ... }:
 {
-  modules = [ ./python.toml ];
+  exportedModules = [ ./python.toml ];
 }
diff --git a/examples/groupByConfig/home/default.nix b/examples/groupByConfig/home/default.nix
index b5f88b1..1b4c3c9 100644
--- a/examples/groupByConfig/home/default.nix
+++ b/examples/groupByConfig/home/default.nix
@@ -3,5 +3,5 @@ let
   lib = self.inputs.digga.lib;
 in
 {
-  imports = [ (lib.importModules ./modules) ];
+  imports = [ (lib.importExportableModules ./modules) ];
 }
diff --git a/examples/hmOnly/home/default.nix b/examples/hmOnly/home/default.nix
index cb4e821..dca6c35 100644
--- a/examples/hmOnly/home/default.nix
+++ b/examples/hmOnly/home/default.nix
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ let
   lib = inputs.digga.lib;
 in
 {
-  imports = [ (lib.importModules ./modules) ];
-  externalModules = [ ];
+  imports = [ (lib.importExportableModules ./modules) ];
+  modules = [ ];
   importables = rec {
     profiles = lib.rakeLeaves ./profiles;
     suites = with profiles; {
diff --git a/flake.nix b/flake.nix
index 8c5357e..a3dc9a7 100644
--- a/flake.nix
+++ b/flake.nix
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@
         inherit (flake-utils-plus.lib) exportModules exportOverlays exportPackages;
         inherit mkFlake;
         inherit (tests) mkTest allProfilesTest;
-        inherit (importers) flattenTree rakeLeaves importOverlays importModules importHosts;
+        inherit (importers) flattenTree rakeLeaves importOverlays importExportableModules importHosts;
         inherit (generators) mkDeployNodes mkHomeConfigurations;
 
         # DEPRECATED - will be removed soon
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@
           mkProfileAttrs
           exporters
           modules
+          importModules
           importers
           ;
 
diff --git a/src/importers.nix b/src/importers.nix
index c583a4d..039ec9f 100644
--- a/src/importers.nix
+++ b/src/importers.nix
@@ -126,10 +126,10 @@ in
       overlays = lib.mkAfter (builtins.attrValues (flattenTree (rakeLeaves dir)));
     };
 
-  importModules = dir:
+  importExportableModules = dir:
     {
       # Meant to output a module that sets the modules option
-      modules = builtins.attrValues (flattenTree (rakeLeaves dir));
+      exportedModules = builtins.attrValues (flattenTree (rakeLeaves dir));
     };
 
   importHosts = dir:
diff --git a/src/mkFlake/fup-adapter.nix b/src/mkFlake/fup-adapter.nix
index ea499b8..97868fa 100644
--- a/src/mkFlake/fup-adapter.nix
+++ b/src/mkFlake/fup-adapter.nix
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ let
   defaultHostModules = [
     (internal-modules.hmNixosDefaults {
       specialArgs = config.home.importables;
-      modules = config.home.modules ++ config.home.externalModules;
+      modules = config.home.modules ++ config.home.exportedModules;
     })
     (internal-modules.globalDefaults {
       hmUsers = config.home.users;
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ let
   # but for proper default handling in fup, null args have to be removed
   stripHost = args: removeAttrs (lib.filterAttrs (_: arg: arg != null) args) [
     # arguments in our hosts/hostDefaults api that shouldn't be passed to fup
-    "externalModules"
+    "externalModules" # TODO: remove deprecated option
+    "exportedModules"
     "tests"
   ];
 
@@ -79,14 +80,14 @@ let
     hostDefaults = flake-utils-plus.lib.mergeAny (stripHost config.nixos.hostDefaults) {
       # add `self` & `inputs` as specialargs so their libs can be used in imports
       specialArgs = config.nixos.importables // { inherit (config) self inputs; };
-      modules = config.nixos.hostDefaults.externalModules ++ defaultHostModules;
+      modules = config.nixos.hostDefaults.exportedModules ++ defaultHostModules;
     };
 
-    nixosModules = flake-utils-plus.lib.exportModules config.nixos.hostDefaults.modules;
+    nixosModules = flake-utils-plus.lib.exportModules config.nixos.hostDefaults.exportedModules;
 
-    homeModules = flake-utils-plus.lib.exportModules config.home.modules;
+    homeModules = flake-utils-plus.lib.exportModules config.home.exportedModules;
 
-    devshellModules = flake-utils-plus.lib.exportModules config.devshell.modules;
+    devshellModules = flake-utils-plus.lib.exportModules config.devshell.exportedModules;
 
     overlays = flake-utils-plus.lib.exportOverlays {
       # since we can't detect overlays owned by self
diff --git a/src/mkFlake/options.nix b/src/mkFlake/options.nix
index 7d18f13..1bcc92f 100644
--- a/src/mkFlake/options.nix
+++ b/src/mkFlake/options.nix
@@ -187,9 +187,9 @@ let
     '';
   };
 
-  exportedModulesOpt = name: { modules = mkOption (exportedModulesOpt' name); };
+  exportedModulesOpt = name: { exportedModules = mkOption (exportedModulesOpt' name); };
   exportedDevshellModulesOpt = {
-    modules = mkOption (
+    exportedModules = mkOption (
       (exportedModulesOpt' "devshell") // {
         type = with types; devshellModulesType;
       }
@@ -198,8 +198,8 @@ let
 
   # This is only needed for hostDefaults
   # modules in each host don't get exported
-  externalModulesOpt = {
-    externalModules = mkOption {
+  regularModulesOpt = {
+    modules = mkOption {
       type = with types; pathToOr modulesType;
       default = [ ];
       description = ''
@@ -209,6 +209,28 @@ let
     };
   };
 
+  externalModulesDeprecationMessage = ''
+    The `externalModules` option has been removed.
+    Any modules that should be exported should be defined with the `exportedModules`
+    option and all other modules should just go into the `modules` option.
+  '';
+  legacyExternalModulesMod = { config, options, ... }: {
+    options = {
+      externalModules = mkOption {
+        type = with types; modulesType;
+        default = [ ];
+        description = externalModulesDeprecationMessage;
+      };
+    };
+    config = mkIf (config.externalModules != [ ]) {
+      modules = throw ''
+        ERROR: ${externalModulesDeprecationMessage}
+
+        Value of externalModules: ${config.externalModules}
+      '';
+    };
+  };
+
   hostDefaultsOpt = name: {
     hostDefaults = mkOption {
       type = with types; hostDefaultsType name;
@@ -351,7 +373,8 @@ let
 
   hostDefaultsType = name: with types; submoduleWith {
     modules = [
-      { options = systemOpt // (channelNameOpt true) // externalModulesOpt // (exportedModulesOpt name); }
+      { options = systemOpt // (channelNameOpt true) // regularModulesOpt // (exportedModulesOpt name); }
+      legacyExternalModulesMod
     ];
   };
 
@@ -366,7 +389,8 @@ let
   homeType = with types; submoduleWith {
     specialArgs = { inherit self inputs; };
     modules = [
-      { options = externalModulesOpt // (exportedModulesOpt "home") // importablesOpt // usersOpt; }
+      { options = regularModulesOpt // (exportedModulesOpt "home") // importablesOpt // usersOpt; }
+      legacyExternalModulesMod
       legacyImportablesMod
     ];
   };
@@ -374,7 +398,8 @@ let
   devshellType = with types; submoduleWith {
     specialArgs = { inherit self inputs; };
     modules = [
-      { options = externalModulesOpt // exportedDevshellModulesOpt; }
+      { options = regularModulesOpt // exportedDevshellModulesOpt; }
+      legacyExternalModulesMod
     ];
   };
 
diff --git a/src/mkFlake/outputs-builder.nix b/src/mkFlake/outputs-builder.nix
index f7bc56e..8a9f31a 100644
--- a/src/mkFlake/outputs-builder.nix
+++ b/src/mkFlake/outputs-builder.nix
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ let
     home-manager.lib.homeManagerConfiguration {
       inherit username homeDirectory pkgs system;
 
-      extraModules = config.home.modules ++ config.home.externalModules;
+      extraModules = config.home.modules ++ config.home.exportedModules;
       extraSpecialArgs = config.home.importables;
 
       configuration = {
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ in
       eval = import "${devshell}/modules" pkgs;
       configuration = {
         name = lib.mkDefault config.nixos.hostDefaults.channelName;
-        imports = config.devshell.modules ++ config.devshell.externalModules;
+        imports = config.devshell.modules ++ config.devshell.exportedModules;
       };
     in
     (eval {