diff --git a/init/src/main.rs b/init/src/main.rs
index a5e22710d7..1243be1cbb 100644
--- a/init/src/main.rs
+++ b/init/src/main.rs
@@ -83,11 +83,18 @@ impl SwitchRoot {
             self.etcdir.join("init.d"),
         ];
 
-        let mut errors = vec![];
+        if self.prefix == Path::new("/scheme/initfs") {
+            let unit_id = UnitId("00_runtime.target".to_owned());
+            let mut errors = vec![];
+            let loaded_units = unit_store.load_units(unit_id.clone(), &mut errors);
+            pending_units.extend(loaded_units);
+            for error in errors {
+                eprintln!("init: {error}");
+            }
+            unit_store.set_runtime_target(unit_id);
+        }
 
-        let loaded_units =
-            unit_store.load_units(UnitId("00_runtime.target".to_owned()), &mut errors);
-        pending_units.extend(loaded_units);
+        let mut errors = vec![];
 
         if let Some(target) = self.target {
             let loaded_units = unit_store.load_units(target, &mut errors);
@@ -187,7 +194,6 @@ fn main() {
     let mut unit_store = UnitStore::new();
     let mut pending_units = VecDeque::new();
 
-    let runtime_target = UnitId("00_runtime.target".to_owned());
     let initfs_target = UnitId("90_initfs.target".to_owned());
 
     SwitchRoot {
@@ -221,12 +227,6 @@ fn main() {
                 continue 'a;
             }
         }
-        if unit_store.unit(&unit).info.default_dependencies {
-            if pending_units.contains(&runtime_target) {
-                pending_units.push_back(unit);
-                continue 'a;
-            }
-        }
         for dep in &unit_store.unit(&unit).info.requires_weak {
             if pending_units.contains(dep) {
                 pending_units.push_back(unit);
diff --git a/init/src/unit.rs b/init/src/unit.rs
index 9be292e5d6..753fbe8e97 100644
--- a/init/src/unit.rs
+++ b/init/src/unit.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use crate::service::Service;
 pub struct UnitStore {
     pub config_dirs: Vec<PathBuf>,
     units: BTreeMap<UnitId, Unit>,
+    runtime_target: Option<UnitId>,
 }
 
 impl UnitStore {
@@ -17,9 +18,16 @@ impl UnitStore {
         UnitStore {
             config_dirs: vec![],
             units: BTreeMap::new(),
+            runtime_target: None,
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn set_runtime_target(&mut self, unit_id: UnitId) {
+        assert!(self.runtime_target.is_none());
+        assert!(self.units.contains_key(&unit_id));
+        self.runtime_target = Some(unit_id);
+    }
+
     fn load_single_unit(&mut self, unit_id: UnitId, errors: &mut Vec<String>) -> Option<UnitId> {
         let (filename, instance) = if let Some((base_service, rest)) = unit_id.0.split_once('@') {
             let Some((instance, ext)) = rest.rsplit_once('.') else {
@@ -42,13 +50,25 @@ impl UnitStore {
             return None;
         };
 
-        let unit = match Unit::from_file(unit_id.clone(), &path, instance, errors) {
+        let mut unit = match Unit::from_file(unit_id.clone(), &path, instance, errors) {
             Ok(unit) => unit,
             Err(err) => {
                 errors.push(format!("{}: {err}", path.display()));
                 return None;
             }
         };
+
+        if unit.info.default_dependencies {
+            if let Some(runtime_target) = self.runtime_target.clone() {
+                unit.info.requires_weak.push(runtime_target);
+            } else {
+                errors.push(format!(
+                    "{}: dependency of the runtime target must have default dependencies disabled",
+                    path.display(),
+                ));
+            }
+        }
+
         self.units.insert(unit_id.clone(), unit);
 
         Some(unit_id)