diff --git a/docs/source/api-reference/drivers/proxy.yaml b/docs/source/api-reference/drivers/proxy.yaml
index 9fbc88fa2..34e5d6e0f 100644
--- a/docs/source/api-reference/drivers/proxy.yaml
+++ b/docs/source/api-reference/drivers/proxy.yaml
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
-children:
-  proxy:
-    ref: "foo.bar.power"
-  foo:
-    children:
-      bar:
-        children:
-          power:
-            type: "jumpstarter_driver_power.driver.MockPower"
+proxy:
+  ref: "foo.bar.power"
+foo:
+  bar:
+    power:
+      type: "jumpstarter_driver_power.driver.MockPower"
diff --git a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/exporter.py b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/exporter.py
index eeaee3674..5aa55c0d1 100644
--- a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/exporter.py
+++ b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/exporter.py
@@ -22,7 +22,11 @@ class ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstanceProxy(BaseModel):
 
 
 class ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstanceComposite(BaseModel):
-    children: dict[str, ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance] = Field(default_factory=dict)
+    children: dict[str, ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance]
+
+
+class ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstanceCompositeSimplified(RootModel):
+    root: dict[str, ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance]
 
 
 class ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstanceBase(BaseModel):
@@ -34,6 +38,7 @@ class ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(RootModel):
     root: (
         ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstanceBase
         | ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstanceComposite
+        | ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstanceCompositeSimplified
         | ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstanceProxy
     )
 
@@ -51,6 +56,13 @@ def instantiate(self) -> Driver:
 
                 return Composite(children=children)
 
+            case ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstanceCompositeSimplified():
+                from jumpstarter_driver_composite.driver import Composite
+
+                children = {name: child.instantiate() for name, child in self.root.root.items()}
+
+                return Composite(children=children)
+
             case ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstanceProxy():
                 from jumpstarter_driver_composite.driver import Proxy
 
@@ -79,7 +91,9 @@ class ExporterConfigV1Alpha1(BaseModel):
     tls: TLSConfigV1Alpha1 = Field(default_factory=TLSConfigV1Alpha1)
     token: str
 
-    export: dict[str, ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance] = Field(default_factory=dict)
+    export: ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance = Field(
+        default_factory=lambda: ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance({})
+    )
 
     path: Path | None = Field(default=None, exclude=True)
 
@@ -137,7 +151,7 @@ async def serve_unix_async(self):
         from jumpstarter.exporter import Session
 
         with Session(
-            root_device=ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(children=self.export).instantiate(),
+            root_device=self.export.instantiate(),
         ) as session:
             async with session.serve_unix_async() as path:
                 yield path
@@ -161,7 +175,7 @@ def channel_factory():
 
         async with Exporter(
             channel_factory=channel_factory,
-            device_factory=ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(children=self.export).instantiate,
+            device_factory=self.export.instantiate,
             tls=self.tls,
         ) as exporter:
             await exporter.serve()
diff --git a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/exporter_test.py b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/exporter_test.py
index 17349b217..13eb92f67 100644
--- a/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/exporter_test.py
+++ b/packages/jumpstarter/jumpstarter/config/exporter_test.py
@@ -26,15 +26,13 @@ async def test_exporter_serve(mock_controller):
                 type="jumpstarter_driver_power.driver.MockPower",
             ),
             "nested": ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(
-                children={
-                    "tcp": ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(
-                        type="jumpstarter_driver_network.driver.TcpNetwork",
-                        config={
-                            "host": "127.0.0.1",
-                            "port": 8080,
-                        },
-                    )
-                }
+                tcp=ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(
+                    type="jumpstarter_driver_network.driver.TcpNetwork",
+                    config={
+                        "host": "127.0.0.1",
+                        "port": 8080,
+                    },
+                )
             ),
         },
     )
@@ -95,12 +93,22 @@ def test_exporter_config(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, tmp_path: Path):
     config:
       port: "/dev/ttyUSB0"
       baudrate: 115200
-  nested:
+  nested-simplified:
+    custom:
+      type: "vendorpackage.CustomDriver"
+      config:
+        hello: "world"
+  nested-legacy:
     children:
       custom:
         type: "vendorpackage.CustomDriver"
         config:
-          hello: "world"
+          hello: "again"
+  nested-reserved-name:
+    ref:
+      type: "vendorpackage.CustomDriver"
+      config:
+        hello: "third-time"
 """
     path.write_text(
         text,
@@ -136,17 +144,32 @@ def test_exporter_config(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, tmp_path: Path):
                     "baudrate": 115200,
                 },
             ),
-            "nested": ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(
+            "nested-simplified": ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(
+                custom=ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(
+                    type="vendorpackage.CustomDriver",
+                    config={
+                        "hello": "world",
+                    },
+                )
+            ),
+            "nested-legacy": ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(
                 children={
                     "custom": ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(
                         type="vendorpackage.CustomDriver",
-                        children={},
                         config={
-                            "hello": "world",
+                            "hello": "again",
                         },
-                    )
+                    ),
                 },
             ),
+            "nested-reserved-name": ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(
+                ref=ExporterConfigV1Alpha1DriverInstance(
+                    type="vendorpackage.CustomDriver",
+                    config={
+                        "hello": "third-time",
+                    },
+                )
+            ),
         },
         config={},
         path=path,