diff --git a/nix/utils/default.nix b/nix/utils/default.nix
index 0c6c88faf..675f22499 100644
--- a/nix/utils/default.nix
+++ b/nix/utils/default.nix
@@ -148,6 +148,27 @@ let
   */
   isSymlink = path: pathType' path ? symlink;
 
+  /* Checks whether the given value is (or contains) a reference to a
+     path that will be retained in the store path resulting from a derivation.
+     So if isReferencablePath returns true, the given value may be used in a
+     way that allows accessing it at runtime of any Nix built program.
+
+     Returns true for:
+
+     - Strings with context (if the string is/contains a single path is not verified!)
+     - Path values
+     - Derivations
+
+     Note that the value still needs to used in a way that forces string context
+     (and thus reference tracking) to be created, e.g. in string interpolation.
+
+     Type: any -> bool
+  */
+  isReferencablePath = value:
+    builtins.isPath value
+    || lib.isDerivation value
+    || (builtins.isString value && builtins.hasContext value);
+
 in
 {
   inherit
@@ -156,5 +177,6 @@ in
     isDirectory
     isRegularFile
     isSymlink
+    isReferencablePath
     ;
 }
diff --git a/nix/writeTree/default.nix b/nix/writeTree/default.nix
index 4f22221f3..11112ad46 100644
--- a/nix/writeTree/default.nix
+++ b/nix/writeTree/default.nix
@@ -1,12 +1,7 @@
 { depot, lib, pkgs, ... }:
 let
   inherit (lib) fix pipe mapAttrsToList isAttrs concatLines isString isDerivation isPath;
-
-  # TODO(sterni): move to //nix/utils with clearer naming and alternative similar to lib.types.path
-  isPathLike = value:
-    isPath value
-    || isDerivation value
-    || (isString value && builtins.hasContext value);
+  inherit (depot.nix.utils) isReferencablePath;
 
   esc = s: lib.escapeShellArg /* ensure paths import into store */ "${s}";
 
@@ -16,7 +11,7 @@ let
     ''
     + pipe tree [
       (mapAttrsToList (k: v:
-        if isPathLike v then
+        if isReferencablePath v then
           "cp -R --reflink=auto ${esc "${v}"} \"$out/\"${esc path}/${esc k}"
         else if lib.isAttrs v then
           writeTreeAtPath (path + "/" + k) v