diff --git a/nixos/lib/test-driver/test-driver.py b/nixos/lib/test-driver/test-driver.py
index 4b9da55cc273..e415993174f8 100755
--- a/nixos/lib/test-driver/test-driver.py
+++ b/nixos/lib/test-driver/test-driver.py
@@ -1184,6 +1184,10 @@ class Driver:
             Machine=Machine,  # for typing
         )
         machine_symbols = {m.name: m for m in self.machines}
+        # If there's exactly one machine, make it available under the name
+        # "machine", even if it's not called that.
+        if len(self.machines) == 1:
+            (machine_symbols["machine"],) = self.machines
         vlan_symbols = {
             f"vlan{v.nr}": self.vlans[idx] for idx, v in enumerate(self.vlans)
         }
diff --git a/nixos/lib/testing-python.nix b/nixos/lib/testing-python.nix
index cce017a6441d..4306d102b2d6 100644
--- a/nixos/lib/testing-python.nix
+++ b/nixos/lib/testing-python.nix
@@ -134,7 +134,9 @@ rec {
       vlans = map (m: m.config.virtualisation.vlans) (lib.attrValues nodes);
       vms = map (m: m.config.system.build.vm) (lib.attrValues nodes);
 
-      nodeHostNames = map (c: c.config.system.name) (lib.attrValues nodes);
+      nodeHostNames = let
+        nodesList = map (c: c.config.system.name) (lib.attrValues nodes);
+      in nodesList ++ lib.optional (lib.length nodesList == 1) "machine";
 
       # TODO: This is an implementation error and needs fixing
       # the testing famework cannot legitimately restrict hostnames further