diff --git a/deployment/data-model-test.nix b/deployment/data-model-test.nix
index 9163eafb..55a0e1d8 100644
--- a/deployment/data-model-test.nix
+++ b/deployment/data-model-test.nix
@@ -16,41 +16,50 @@ in
   test-eval = {
     expr =
       let
-        example = eval {
-          runtime-configurations.single-ssh-host =
-            { ... }:
-            {
-              system.stateVersion = "25.05";
-            };
-          runtime-environments.bar = {
-            single-ssh-host = {
-              ssh = {
-                host = "localhost";
-                username = "root";
-                authentication.password = "";
-              };
-            };
-          };
-          applications.foo = {
-            module =
-              { pkgs, ... }:
+        example = eval (
+          { config, ... }:
+          {
+            runtime-configurations.single-ssh-host =
+              { ... }:
               {
-                environment.systemPackages = [
-                  pkgs.hello
-                ];
+                system.stateVersion = "25.05";
               };
-          };
-        };
+            runtime-environments.bar = {
+              single-ssh-host = {
+                ssh = {
+                  host = "localhost";
+                  username = "root";
+                  authentication.password = "";
+                };
+              };
+            };
+            applications.foo = {
+              module =
+                { pkgs, ... }:
+                {
+                  environment.systemPackages = [
+                    pkgs.hello
+                  ];
+                };
+            };
+            deployments.baz = {
+              module = { };
+              runtime-environment = config.runtime-environments.bar;
+            };
+          }
+        );
       in
       {
         has-runtime-configuration = lib.isAttrs example.runtime-configurations.single-ssh-host;
         has-runtime-environment = lib.isAttrs example.runtime-environments.bar.single-ssh-host.module;
         has-application = lib.isAttrs example.applications.foo.module;
+        has-deployment = lib.isAttrs example.deployments.baz.module;
       };
     expected = {
       has-runtime-configuration = true;
       has-runtime-environment = true;
       has-application = true;
+      has-deployment = true;
     };
   };
 }
diff --git a/deployment/data-model.nix b/deployment/data-model.nix
index e0ed15c2..2a90fc11 100644
--- a/deployment/data-model.nix
+++ b/deployment/data-model.nix
@@ -107,6 +107,26 @@ let
       }
     ];
   };
+  deployment = submoduleWith {
+    description = "A deployment of a configuration of applications to a run-time environment";
+    modules = [
+      {
+        options = {
+          # the `applications` option consists of configuration for the above applications
+          module = mkOption {
+            description = ''
+              Configuration to be deployed
+            '';
+            type = deferredModule;
+          };
+          runtime-environment = mkOption {
+            description = "The run-time environment to deploy to";
+            type = runtime-environment;
+          };
+        };
+      }
+    ];
+  };
 in
 {
   options = {
@@ -122,5 +142,9 @@ in
       description = "Collection of Fediversity applications";
       type = attrsOf application;
     };
+    deployments = mkOption {
+      description = "Deployment of a configuration of applications to a run-time environment";
+      type = attrsOf deployment;
+    };
   };
 }