diff --git a/roles/nftables/defaults/main.yaml b/roles/nftables/defaults/main.yaml
index f90a042..912a93e 100644
--- a/roles/nftables/defaults/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/nftables/defaults/main.yaml
@@ -36,35 +36,54 @@ nftables_builtin_sets:
     - flags interval
 
 nftables_input_builtin_rules:
-  - type filter hook input priority filter; policy drop;
-  - ip saddr @blackhole4 drop
-  - ip6 saddr @blackhole6 drop
-  - ct state established,related accept
-  - ct state invalid drop
-  - iifname "lo" accept
-  - icmpv6 type $REQUIRED_ICMPV6_TYPES accept
-  - icmpv6 type echo-request accept
-  - icmp type echo-request accept
-  - tcp dport @tcp_input_accept accept
-  - udp dport @udp_input_accept accept
-  # this should be last because these ports could be allowed
-  - udp dport $TRACEROUTE_UDP_PORTS reject
+  '000 policy':
+    - type filter hook input priority filter; policy drop;
+  '010 blackhole':
+    - ip saddr @blackhole4 drop
+    - ip6 saddr @blackhole6 drop
+  '020 related established':
+    - ct state established,related accept
+    - ct state invalid drop
+  '030 loopback':
+    - iifname "lo" accept
+  '040 icmp':
+    - icmpv6 type $REQUIRED_ICMPV6_TYPES accept
+    - icmpv6 type echo-request accept
+    - icmp type echo-request accept
+  '050 tcp accept':
+    - tcp dport @tcp_input_accept accept
+  '060 udp accept':
+    - udp dport @udp_input_accept accept
+  '999 traceroute':
+    # this should be last because these ports could be allowed
+    - udp dport $TRACEROUTE_UDP_PORTS reject
 
 nftables_forward_builtin_rules:
-  - type filter hook forward priority filter; policy drop;
-  - ct state { established, related } accept
+  '000 policy':
+    - type filter hook forward priority filter; policy drop;
+  '010 related established':
+    - ct state { established, related } accept
 
 nftables_output_builtin_rules:
-  - type filter hook output priority filter; policy accept;
-  - ip daddr @blackhole4 drop
-  - ip6 daddr @blackhole6 drop
-  - ct state { established, related } accept
+  '000 policy':
+    - type filter hook output priority filter; policy accept;
+  '010 blackhole':
+    - ip daddr @blackhole4 drop
+    - ip6 daddr @blackhole6 drop
+  '020 related established':
+    - ct state { established, related } accept
 
-# nftables_sets:
-#   {}
-#
-# nftables_input_rules:
-#   []
-#
-# nftables_output_rules:
-#   []
+nftables_defines:
+  {} 
+
+nftables_sets:
+  {}
+
+nftables_input_rules:
+  {}
+
+nftables_forward_rules:
+  {}
+
+nftables_output_rules:
+  {}
diff --git a/roles/nftables/templates/nftables.conf.j2 b/roles/nftables/templates/nftables.conf.j2
index 51db0ae..d776cd8 100644
--- a/roles/nftables/templates/nftables.conf.j2
+++ b/roles/nftables/templates/nftables.conf.j2
@@ -1,82 +1,53 @@
+{% set combined_defines = [ nftables_builtin_defines, nftables_defines ] | combine %}
+{% set combined_sets = [ nftables_builtin_sets, nftables_sets ] | combine %}
+{% set combined_input_rules = [ nftables_input_builtin_rules, nftables_input_rules ] | combine %}
+{% set combined_forward_rules = [ nftables_forward_builtin_rules, nftables_forward_rules ] | combine %}
+{% set combined_output_rules = [ nftables_output_builtin_rules, nftables_output_rules ] | combine %}
 table inet filter {
-{% if nftables_builtin_defines is mapping %}
-{%   for name, cfg in nftables_builtin_defines.items() %}
-{%     if cfg is string %}
+{% for name, cfg in combined_defines.items() %}
+{%   if cfg is string or cfg is number %}
   define {{ name }} = {{ cfg }}
-{%     elif cfg is sequence %} 
+{%  elif cfg is sequence %} 
   define {{ name }} = {
-{%     for elem in cfg %}
+{%   for elem in cfg %}
     {{ elem }},
-{%     endfor %}
-  }
-{%     endif %}
 {%   endfor %}
-{% endif %}
-{% if nftables_defines is mapping %}
-{%   for name, cfg in nftables_defines.items() %}
-  define {{ name }} = {
-{%     for elem in cfg %}
-    {{ elem }},
-{%     endfor %}
   }
-{%   endfor %}
-{% endif %}
+{%   endif %}
+{% endfor %}
 
-{% if nftables_builtin_sets is mapping %}
-{%   for name, cfg in nftables_builtin_sets.items() %}
+{% for name, cfg in combined_sets.items() %}
   set {{ name }} { 
-{%     for elem in cfg %}
+{%   for elem in cfg %}
     {{ elem }}
-{%     endfor %}
-  }
 {%   endfor %}
-{% endif %}
-{% if nftables_sets is mapping %}
-{%   for name, cfg in nftables_sets.items() %}
-  set {{ name }} { 
-{%     for elem in cfg %}
-    {{ elem }}
-{%     endfor %}
   }
-{%   endfor %}
-{% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
 
   chain input {
-{% if nftables_input_builtin_rules is sequence %}
-{%   for rule in nftables_input_builtin_rules %}
+{% for comment, rules in combined_input_rules.items() %}
+    # {{ comment }}
+{%   for rule in rules %}
     {{ rule }}
 {%   endfor %}
-{% endif %}
-{% if nftables_input_rules is sequence %}
-{%   for rule in nftables_input_rules %}
-    {{ rule }}
-{%   endfor %}
-{% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
   }
 
   chain forward {
-{% if nftables_forward_builtin_rules is sequence %}
-{%   for rule in nftables_forward_builtin_rules %}
+{% for comment, rules in combined_forward_rules.items() %}
+    # {{ comment }}
+{%   for rule in rules %}
     {{ rule }}
 {%   endfor %}
-{% endif %}
-{% if nftables_forward_rules is sequence %}
-{%   for rule in nftables_forward_rules %}
-    {{ rule }}
-{%   endfor %}
-{% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
   }
 
   chain output {
-{% if nftables_output_builtin_rules is sequence %}
-{%   for rule in nftables_output_builtin_rules %}
+{% for comment, rules in combined_output_rules.items() %}
+    # {{ comment }}
+{%   for rule in rules %}
     {{ rule }}
 {%   endfor %}
-{% endif %}
-{% if nftables_output_rules is sequence %}
-{%   for rule in nftables_output_rules %}
-    {{ rule }}
-{%   endfor %}
-{% endif %}
+{% endfor %}
   }
 }