diff --git a/lib/impl/jobPatched.nix b/lib/impl/jobPatched.nix
index c7134fb..367a374 100644
--- a/lib/impl/jobPatched.nix
+++ b/lib/impl/jobPatched.nix
@@ -11,13 +11,13 @@ in
     pipelineName,
     nixConfig,
   }:
-    (builtins.removeAttrs job ["variables" "cache"])
-    // (optionalAttrs nixConfig.enable (
-      (prependToBeforeScript ["source setup_nix_ci \"gitlab-ci:pipeline:${pipelineName}:job-deps:${key}\""] job)
+    if ! nixConfig.enable
+    then job
+    else
+      (builtins.removeAttrs job ["variables" "cache"])
+      // (prependToBeforeScript ["source setup_nix_ci \"gitlab-ci:pipeline:${pipelineName}:job-deps:${key}\""] job)
       // (appendToAfterScript ["finalize_nix_ci"] job)
-    ))
-    // optionalAttrs nixConfig.enable (
-      (let
+      // (let
         variables =
           (filterJobVariables false job)
           // optionalAttrs nixConfig.enableRunnerCache {
@@ -40,4 +40,3 @@ in
         optionalAttrs (cache != []) {
           inherit cache;
         })
-    )
diff --git a/tests/cilib_test.nix b/tests/cilib_test.nix
index 2322906..3b76fb8 100644
--- a/tests/cilib_test.nix
+++ b/tests/cilib_test.nix
@@ -64,6 +64,22 @@
           nixConfig.enable = false;
         };
       }
+      {
+        name = "jobPatched nix disabled with variables and cache";
+        expected = {
+          variables."HELLO" = "world";
+          cache = [{key = "example";}];
+        };
+        actual = mkJobPatched {
+          key = "test";
+          pipelineName = "test";
+          job = {
+            variables."HELLO" = "world";
+            cache = [{key = "example";}];
+          };
+          nixConfig.enable = false;
+        };
+      }
       {
         name = "jobPatched without runner cache";
         expected = {
@@ -145,10 +161,13 @@
           '';
       }
       {
-        name = "handle store paths in variables";
+        name = "ignore store paths in variables with nix disabled";
         expected = {
           stages = ["test"];
-          test.stage = "test";
+          test = {
+            stage = "test";
+            variables."TEST" = "${pkgs.hello}";
+          };
         };
         actual =
           (mkPipeline {