diff --git a/lib/impl/jobPatched.nix b/lib/impl/jobPatched.nix
index c7134fb..73adb38 100644
--- a/lib/impl/jobPatched.nix
+++ b/lib/impl/jobPatched.nix
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   helpers,
 }: let
   inherit (lib) toList optionalAttrs optional;
-  inherit (helpers) prependToBeforeScript appendToAfterScript filterJobVariables;
+  inherit (helpers) prependToBeforeScript appendToAfterScript;
 in
   {
     key,
@@ -11,33 +11,28 @@ in
     pipelineName,
     nixConfig,
   }:
-    (builtins.removeAttrs job ["variables" "cache"])
-    // (optionalAttrs nixConfig.enable (
-      (prependToBeforeScript ["source setup_nix_ci \"gitlab-ci:pipeline:${pipelineName}:job-deps:${key}\""] job)
-      // (appendToAfterScript ["finalize_nix_ci"] job)
-    ))
-    // optionalAttrs nixConfig.enable (
-      (let
-        variables =
-          (filterJobVariables false job)
-          // optionalAttrs nixConfig.enableRunnerCache {
-            NIX_CI_CACHE_STRATEGY = "runner";
-          };
-      in
-        # filter empty variables
-        optionalAttrs (variables != {}) {
-          inherit variables;
-        })
-      // (let
-        cache =
-          (toList (job.cache or []))
-          ++ (optional nixConfig.enableRunnerCache {
-            key = nixConfig.runnerCacheKey;
-            paths = [".nix-cache/"];
-          });
-      in
-        # filter empty cache
-        optionalAttrs (cache != []) {
-          inherit cache;
-        })
-    )
+    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)
+    // (let
+      variables = job.variables or {} //
+        optionalAttrs nixConfig.enableRunnerCache {
+          NIX_CI_CACHE_STRATEGY = "runner";
+        };
+    in
+      # filter empty variables
+      optionalAttrs (variables != {}) {
+        inherit variables;
+      })
+    // (let
+      cache = (toList (job.cache or [])) ++
+      (optional nixConfig.enableRunnerCache {
+        key = nixConfig.runnerCacheKey;
+        paths = [ ".nix-cache/" ];
+      });
+    in
+      # filter empty cache
+      optionalAttrs (cache != []) {
+        inherit cache;
+      })
diff --git a/tests/cilib_test.nix b/tests/cilib_test.nix
index b53308c..6de4ed6 100644
--- a/tests/cilib_test.nix
+++ b/tests/cilib_test.nix
@@ -56,24 +56,59 @@
       }
       {
         name = "jobPatched nix disabled";
-        expected = {};
+        expected = {
+          cache = {
+            name = "some";
+            paths = [ "this" ];
+          };
+          variables = {
+            BASH = toString pkgs.bash;
+            TEST = "work";
+          };
+        };
         actual = mkJobPatched {
           key = "test";
           pipelineName = "test";
-          job = {};
+          job = {
+            cache = {
+              name = "some";
+              paths = [ "this" ];
+            };
+            variables = {
+              BASH = toString pkgs.bash;
+              TEST = "work";
+            };
+          };
           nixConfig.enable = false;
         };
       }
       {
         name = "jobPatched without runner cache";
         expected = {
-          after_script = ["finalize_nix_ci"];
-          before_script = ["source setup_nix_ci \"gitlab-ci:pipeline:test:job-deps:test\""];
+          after_script = [ "finalize_nix_ci" ];
+          before_script = [ "source setup_nix_ci \"gitlab-ci:pipeline:test:job-deps:test\"" ];
+          variables = {
+            BASH = toString pkgs.bash;
+            TEST = "work";
+          };
+          cache = [{
+            name = "some";
+            paths = [ "this" ];
+          }];
         };
         actual = mkJobPatched {
           key = "test";
           pipelineName = "test";
-          job = {};
+          job = {
+            cache = {
+              name = "some";
+              paths = [ "this" ];
+            };
+            variables = {
+              BASH = toString pkgs.bash;
+              TEST = "work";
+            };
+          };
           nixConfig = {
             enable = true;
             enableRunnerCache = false;
@@ -83,20 +118,34 @@
       {
         name = "jobPatched with runner cache";
         expected = {
-          after_script = ["finalize_nix_ci"];
-          before_script = ["source setup_nix_ci \"gitlab-ci:pipeline:test:job-deps:test\""];
-          cache = [
-            {
-              key = "test";
-              paths = [".nix-cache/"];
-            }
-          ];
-          variables."NIX_CI_CACHE_STRATEGY" = "runner";
+          after_script = [ "finalize_nix_ci" ];
+          before_script = [ "source setup_nix_ci \"gitlab-ci:pipeline:test:job-deps:test\"" ];
+          cache = [{
+            name = "some";
+            paths = [ "this" ];
+          }{
+            key = "test";
+            paths = [ ".nix-cache/" ];
+          }];
+          variables = {
+            NIX_CI_CACHE_STRATEGY = "runner";
+            BASH = toString pkgs.bash;
+            TEST = "work";
+          };
         };
         actual = mkJobPatched {
           key = "test";
           pipelineName = "test";
-          job = {};
+          job = {
+            cache = {
+              name = "some";
+              paths = [ "this" ];
+            };
+            variables = {
+              BASH = toString pkgs.bash;
+              TEST = "work";
+            };
+          };
           nixConfig = {
             enable = true;
             enableRunnerCache = true;
@@ -145,23 +194,110 @@
           '';
       }
       {
-        name = "handle store paths in variables";
+        name = "handle store paths in variables without nix config";
         expected = {
-          stages = ["test"];
-          test.stage = "test";
+          stages = [ "test" ];
+          variables = {
+            EXAMPLE = "empty";
+            CURL = toString pkgs.curl;
+          };
+          test = {
+            stage = "test";
+            before_script = [ "./init" ];
+            script = [ "echo Hello World!" ];
+            after_script = [ "./clean" ];
+            cache = {
+              key = "simple";
+              paths = [ "~/random/" ];
+            };
+            variables = {
+              SAMPLE = "working";
+              HELLO = toString pkgs.hello;
+            };
+          };
         };
-        actual =
-          (mkPipeline {
-            name = "test";
-            nixConfig.enable = false;
-            pipeline = {
-              stages = ["test"];
-              jobs.test = {
-                stage = "test";
-                variables."TEST" = "${pkgs.hello}";
+        actual = (mkPipeline {
+          name = "test";
+          nixConfig.enable = false;
+          pipeline = {
+            stages = [ "test" ];
+            variables = {
+              EXAMPLE = "empty";
+              CURL = toString pkgs.curl;
+            };
+            jobs.test = {
+              stage = "test";
+              before_script = [ "./init" ];
+              script = [ "echo Hello World!" ];
+              after_script = [ "./clean" ];
+              cache = {
+                key = "simple";
+                paths = [ "~/random/" ];
+              };
+              variables = {
+                SAMPLE = "working";
+                HELLO = toString pkgs.hello;
               };
             };
-          }).finalConfig;
+          };
+        }).finalConfig;
+      }
+      {
+        name = "handle store paths in variables with nix config";
+        expected = {
+          stages = [ "test" ];
+          variables = {
+            EXAMPLE = "empty";
+            CURL = toString pkgs.curl;
+          };
+          test = {
+            stage = "test";
+            before_script = [ "source setup_nix_ci \"gitlab-ci:pipeline:test:job-deps:test\"" "./init" ];
+            script = [ "echo Hello World!" ];
+            after_script = [ "./clean" "finalize_nix_ci" ];
+            cache = [{
+              key = "simple";
+              paths = [ "~/random/" ];
+            }{
+              key = "random";
+              paths = [ ".nix-cache/" ];
+            }];
+            variables = {
+              SAMPLE = "working";
+              HELLO = toString pkgs.hello;
+              NIX_CI_CACHE_STRATEGY = "runner";
+            };
+          };
+        };
+        actual = (mkPipeline {
+          name = "test";
+          nixConfig = {
+            enable = true;
+            enableRunnerCache = true;
+            runnerCacheKey = "random";
+          };
+          pipeline = {
+            stages = [ "test" ];
+            variables = {
+              EXAMPLE = "empty";
+              CURL = toString pkgs.curl;
+            };
+            jobs.test = {
+              stage = "test";
+              before_script = [ "./init" ];
+              script = [ "echo Hello World!" ];
+              after_script = [ "./clean" ];
+              cache = {
+                key = "simple";
+                paths = [ "~/random/" ];
+              };
+              variables = {
+                SAMPLE = "working";
+                HELLO = toString pkgs.hello;
+              };
+            };
+          };
+        }).finalConfig;
       }
     ];
   };