diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c064cc6..08ddb14 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ cd nix-bitcoin/examples/
 nix-shell
 ```
 
-The following example scripts set up a nix-bitcoin node according to `examples/configuration.nix` and then
+The following example scripts set up a nix-bitcoin node according to [`examples/configuration.nix`](examples/configuration.nix) and then
 shut down immediately. They leave no traces (outside of `/nix/store`) on the host system.
 
 - [`./deploy-container.sh`](examples/deploy-container.sh) creates a [NixOS container](https://github.com/erikarvstedt/extra-container).\
@@ -48,6 +48,12 @@ shut down immediately. They leave no traces (outside of `/nix/store`) on the hos
   NixOps can be used to deploy to various other backends like cloud providers.\
   Requires: [Nix](https://nixos.org/nix/), [VirtualBox](https://www.virtualbox.org)
 
+- [`./deploy-container-minimal.sh`](examples/deploy-container-minimal.sh) creates a
+  container defined by [minimal-configuration.nix](examples/minimal-configuration.nix) that
+  doesn't use the [secure-node.nix](modules/presets/secure-node.nix) preset.
+  Also shows how to use nix-bitcoin in an existing NixOS config.\
+  Requires: [Nix](https://nixos.org/), a systemd-based Linux distro and root privileges
+
 Run the examples with option `--interactive` or `-i` to start a shell for interacting with
 the node:
 ```bash
@@ -55,7 +61,7 @@ the node:
 ```
 
 #### Tests
-The internal test suite is also useful for exploring features.  
+The internal test suite is also useful for exploring features.\
 The following `run-tests.sh` commands leave no traces (outside of `/nix/store`) on
 the host system.
 
diff --git a/examples/deploy-container-minimal.sh b/examples/deploy-container-minimal.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3e7f7eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/deploy-container-minimal.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+exec "${BASH_SOURCE[0]%/*}/deploy-container.sh" --minimal-config "$@"
diff --git a/examples/deploy-container.sh b/examples/deploy-container.sh
index c672fd0..f57df31 100755
--- a/examples/deploy-container.sh
+++ b/examples/deploy-container.sh
@@ -8,23 +8,36 @@ set -euo pipefail
 # Feel free to modify or to run nix-shell and execute individual statements of this
 # script in the interactive shell.
 
-if [[ $(sysctl -n net.ipv4.ip_forward) != 1 ]]; then
-    echo "Error: IP forwarding (net.ipv4.ip_forward) is not enabled."
-    echo "Needed for container WAN access."
-    exit 1
-fi
-
 if [[ ! -v IN_NIX_SHELL ]]; then
     echo "Running script in nix shell env..."
     cd "${BASH_SOURCE[0]%/*}"
     exec nix-shell --run "./${BASH_SOURCE[0]##*/} $*"
 fi
 
+if [[ $(sysctl -n net.ipv4.ip_forward || sudo sysctl -n net.ipv4.ip_forward) != 1 ]]; then
+    echo "Error: IP forwarding (net.ipv4.ip_forward) is not enabled."
+    echo "Needed for container WAN access."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 if [[ $EUID != 0 ]]; then
     # NixOS containers require root permissions
     exec sudo "PATH=$PATH" "NIX_PATH=$NIX_PATH" "IN_NIX_SHELL=$IN_NIX_SHELL" "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" "$@"
 fi
 
+interactive=
+minimalConfig=
+for arg in "$@"; do
+    case $arg in
+        -i|--interactive)
+            interactive=1
+            ;;
+        --minimal-config)
+            minimalConfig=1
+            ;;
+    esac
+done
+
 # These commands can also be executed interactively in a shell session
 demoCmds='
 echo
@@ -37,33 +50,39 @@ echo
 echo "lightning-cli state:"
 c lightning-cli getinfo
 echo
-echo "Node info:"
-c nodeinfo
-echo
 echo "Bitcoind data dir:"
 sudo ls -al /var/lib/containers/demo-node/var/lib/bitcoind
 '
+nodeInfoCmd='
+echo
+echo "Node info:"
+c nodeinfo
+'
 
-case ${1:-} in
-    -i|--interactive)
-        runCmd=
-        ;;
-    *)
-        runCmd=(--run bash -c "$demoCmds")
-        ;;
-esac
+if [[ $minimalConfig ]]; then
+    configuration=minimal-configuration.nix
+else
+    configuration=configuration.nix
+    demoCmds="${demoCmds}${nodeInfoCmd}"
+fi
+
+if [[ $interactive ]]; then
+    runCmd=
+else
+    runCmd=(--run bash -c "$demoCmds")
+fi
 
 # Build container.
 # Learn more: https://github.com/erikarvstedt/extra-container
 #
-read -d '' src <<'EOF' || true
+read -d '' src <<EOF || true
 { pkgs, lib, ... }: {
   containers.demo-node = {
     extra.addressPrefix = "10.250.0";
     extra.enableWAN = true;
     config = { pkgs, config, lib, ... }: {
       imports = [
-        <nix-bitcoin/examples/configuration.nix>
+        <nix-bitcoin/examples/${configuration}>
         <nix-bitcoin/modules/secrets/generate-secrets.nix>
       ];
     };
diff --git a/examples/minimal-configuration.nix b/examples/minimal-configuration.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..db6cc66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/minimal-configuration.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{ config, pkgs, lib, ... }: {
+  imports = [
+    <nix-bitcoin/modules/nix-bitcoin.nix>
+    <nix-bitcoin/modules/secrets/generate-secrets.nix>
+  ];
+
+  services.bitcoind.enable = true;
+  services.clightning.enable = true;
+
+  # When using nix-bitcoin as part of a larger NixOS configuration, set the following to enable
+  # interactive access to nix-bitcoin features (like bitcoin-cli) for your system's main user
+  nix-bitcoin.operator = {
+    enable = true;
+    name = "main"; # Set this to your system's main user
+  };
+
+  # The system's main unprivileged user
+  users.users.main = {
+    isNormalUser = true;
+    password = "a";
+  };
+}