diff --git a/init.d/00_ipcd.service b/init.d/00_ipcd.service
index 39a359a780..d9252da3ad 100644
--- a/init.d/00_ipcd.service
+++ b/init.d/00_ipcd.service
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@ description = "IPC daemon"
 
 [service]
 cmd = "ipcd"
-type = "notify"
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.d/00_pcid-spawner.service b/init.d/00_pcid-spawner.service
index 8ba6fc6cec..eb269342b1 100644
--- a/init.d/00_pcid-spawner.service
+++ b/init.d/00_pcid-spawner.service
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@ description = "PCI driver spawner"
 
 [service]
 cmd = "pcid-spawner"
-type = "oneshot"
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.d/00_ptyd.service b/init.d/00_ptyd.service
index 2879c8ad70..f7138836ac 100644
--- a/init.d/00_ptyd.service
+++ b/init.d/00_ptyd.service
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@ description = "PTY daemon"
 
 [service]
 cmd = "ptyd"
-type = "notify"
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.d/10_smolnetd.service b/init.d/10_smolnetd.service
index 1ee54ad0e7..7d1ee4d7b9 100644
--- a/init.d/10_smolnetd.service
+++ b/init.d/10_smolnetd.service
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@ requires_weak = [
 
 [service]
 cmd = "netstack"
-type = "notify"
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.d/20_audiod.service b/init.d/20_audiod.service
index 68332093d3..4c9da7c425 100644
--- a/init.d/20_audiod.service
+++ b/init.d/20_audiod.service
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ requires_weak = [
 
 [service]
 cmd = "audiod"
-type = { scheme = "audio" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.initfs.d/10_inputd.service b/init.initfs.d/10_inputd.service
index ba291046ab..8d1fa9eb31 100644
--- a/init.initfs.d/10_inputd.service
+++ b/init.initfs.d/10_inputd.service
@@ -3,4 +3,4 @@ description = "VT input and graphics multiplexer"
 
 [service]
 cmd = "inputd"
-type = { scheme = "input" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.initfs.d/10_lived.service b/init.initfs.d/10_lived.service
index 7745f4b761..7da522a4cb 100644
--- a/init.initfs.d/10_lived.service
+++ b/init.initfs.d/10_lived.service
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ description = "Live disk"
 
 [service]
 cmd = "lived"
-type = "notify"
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.initfs.d/20_fbbootlogd.service b/init.initfs.d/20_fbbootlogd.service
index 5a8bf3c820..da16d763a4 100644
--- a/init.initfs.d/20_fbbootlogd.service
+++ b/init.initfs.d/20_fbbootlogd.service
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ requires_weak = ["10_inputd.service", "20_vesad.service"]
 
 [service]
 cmd = "fbbootlogd"
-type = { scheme = "fbbootlog" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.initfs.d/20_fbcond.service b/init.initfs.d/20_fbcond.service
index 8db3dfdbeb..712c8fd7cd 100644
--- a/init.initfs.d/20_fbcond.service
+++ b/init.initfs.d/20_fbcond.service
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ requires_weak = ["10_inputd.service", "20_vesad.service"]
 [service]
 cmd = "fbcond"
 args = ["2"]
-type = { scheme = "fbcon" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.initfs.d/20_vesad.service b/init.initfs.d/20_vesad.service
index 4d907c314f..8fa8578d0f 100644
--- a/init.initfs.d/20_vesad.service
+++ b/init.initfs.d/20_vesad.service
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ inherit_envs = [
     "FRAMEBUFFER_HEIGHT",
     "FRAMEBUFFER_STRIDE",
 ]
-type = "notify"
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.initfs.d/40_bcm2835-sdhcid.service b/init.initfs.d/40_bcm2835-sdhcid.service
index 8c05462017..b7ccdc3da8 100644
--- a/init.initfs.d/40_bcm2835-sdhcid.service
+++ b/init.initfs.d/40_bcm2835-sdhcid.service
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ condition_board = ["raspi3bp"]
 
 [service]
 cmd = "bcm2835-sdhcid"
-type = "notify"
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.initfs.d/40_hwd.service b/init.initfs.d/40_hwd.service
index cba12dde61..993b303762 100644
--- a/init.initfs.d/40_hwd.service
+++ b/init.initfs.d/40_hwd.service
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ requires_weak = ["10_inputd.service", "10_lived.service", "20_graphics.target"]
 [service]
 cmd = "hwd"
 inherit_envs = ["RSDP_ADDR", "RSDP_SIZE"]
-type = "notify"
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init.initfs.d/40_ps2d.service b/init.initfs.d/40_ps2d.service
index 881e75ea52..bbee2699ed 100644
--- a/init.initfs.d/40_ps2d.service
+++ b/init.initfs.d/40_ps2d.service
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ condition_architecture = ["x86", "x86_64"]
 
 [service]
 cmd = "ps2d"
-type = "notify"
+type = "oneshot_async"
diff --git a/init/src/main.rs b/init/src/main.rs
index 5682cf4455..23ad432de6 100644
--- a/init/src/main.rs
+++ b/init/src/main.rs
@@ -173,7 +173,17 @@ fn main() {
         }
     };
 
+    eprintln!("INIT: starting /usr scheduler step");
+    if let Ok(mut f) = std::fs::OpenOptions::new().write(true).open("/scheme/debug/no-preserve") {
+        use std::io::Write;
+        let _ = writeln!(f, "BEFORE_STEP");
+    }
     scheduler.step(&mut unit_store, &mut init_config);
+    eprintln!("INIT: waitpid loop");
+    if let Ok(mut f) = std::fs::OpenOptions::new().write(true).open("/scheme/debug/no-preserve") {
+        use std::io::Write;
+        let _ = writeln!(f, "AFTER_STEP");
+    }
 
     libredox::call::setrens(0, 0).expect("init: failed to enter null namespace");
 
diff --git a/init/src/scheduler.rs b/init/src/scheduler.rs
index dc7c21f727..e211e5546c 100644
--- a/init/src/scheduler.rs
+++ b/init/src/scheduler.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::collections::VecDeque;
+use std::collections::{BTreeMap, VecDeque};
 use std::io::Write;
 
 use crate::InitConfig;
@@ -56,34 +56,42 @@ impl Scheduler {
     }
 
     pub fn step(&mut self, unit_store: &mut UnitStore, init_config: &mut InitConfig) {
-        let mut count: usize = 0;
+        let mut defer_count: BTreeMap<String, usize> = BTreeMap::new();
         'a: loop {
             let Some(job) = self.pending.pop_front() else {
                 if let Ok(mut f) = std::fs::OpenOptions::new().write(true).open("/scheme/debug/no-preserve") {
-                    let _ = writeln!(f, "DONE: {} units", count);
+                    let _ = writeln!(f, "STEP_DONE");
                 }
                 return;
             };
-            count += 1;
 
             match job.kind {
                 JobKind::Start => {
                     let unit = unit_store.unit_mut(&job.unit);
 
+                    let mut blocked = false;
                     for dep in &unit.info.requires_weak {
                         for pending_job in &self.pending {
                             if &pending_job.unit == dep {
-                                self.pending.push_back(job);
-                                continue 'a;
+                                blocked = true;
+                                break;
                             }
                         }
+                        if blocked { break; }
+                    }
+
+                    if blocked {
+                        let cnt = defer_count.entry(job.unit.0.clone()).or_insert(0);
+                        *cnt += 1;
+                        if *cnt <= 3 {
+                            self.pending.push_back(job);
+                            continue 'a;
+                        }
                     }
 
                     run(unit, init_config);
-                    if count % 50 == 0 {
-                        if let Ok(mut f) = std::fs::OpenOptions::new().write(true).open("/scheme/debug/no-preserve") {
-                            let _ = writeln!(f, "LIVE: {} units processed", count);
-                        }
+                    if let Ok(mut f) = std::fs::OpenOptions::new().write(true).open("/scheme/debug/no-preserve") {
+                        let _ = writeln!(f, "RAN {}", unit.id.0);
                     }
                 }
             }