diff --git a/config/acid.toml b/config/acid.toml
index 5392934f..6e4e82ed 100644
--- a/config/acid.toml
+++ b/config/acid.toml
@@ -14,10 +14,16 @@ coreutils = {}
 ion = {}
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_acid"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_acid.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 00_drivers
-ion /usr/lib/run_acid.ion
+[unit]
+description = "Acid test runner"
+requires_weak = ["00_pcid-spawner.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "ion"
+args = ["/usr/lib/run_acid.ion"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
 """
 
 [[files]]
diff --git a/config/auto-test.toml b/config/auto-test.toml
index b6ff9786..aac55056 100644
--- a/config/auto-test.toml
+++ b/config/auto-test.toml
@@ -13,10 +13,16 @@ filesystem_size = 1024
 auto-test = {}
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-ion /usr/lib/run_tests.ion
+[unit]
+description = "Automated test runner"
+requires_weak = ["00_base.target"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "ion"
+args = ["/usr/lib/run_tests.ion"]
+type = "oneshot"
 """
 
 [[files]]
diff --git a/config/base.toml b/config/base.toml
index a953e480..e7a04f3d 100644
--- a/config/base.toml
+++ b/config/base.toml
@@ -23,31 +23,27 @@ uutils = {}
 
 ## Configuration files
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/00_base"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/00_base.service"
 data = """
-# clear and recreate tmpdir with 0o1777 permission
-rm -rf /tmp
-mkdir -m a=rwxt /tmp
+[unit]
+description = "Base environment setup (tmpdir)"
 
-notify ipcd
-notify ptyd
-nowait sudo --daemon
+[service]
+cmd = "ion"
+args = ["-c", "rm -rf /tmp; mkdir -m a=rwxt /tmp"]
+type = "oneshot"
 """
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/00_drivers"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/00_sudo.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 00_base
-pcid-spawner
-"""
+[unit]
+description = "Sudo privilege daemon"
 
-## Network init
-[[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_net"
-data = """
-requires_weak 00_drivers
-notify smolnetd
-nowait dhcpd
+[service]
+cmd = "sudo"
+args = ["--daemon"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
 """
 
 [[files]]
diff --git a/config/desktop-minimal.toml b/config/desktop-minimal.toml
index 7b662860..7aa87357 100644
--- a/config/desktop-minimal.toml
+++ b/config/desktop-minimal.toml
@@ -15,18 +15,49 @@ orbterm = "ignore"
 orbutils = "ignore"
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/20_display"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/20_display.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-notify audiod
-nowait VT=3 ion -c true
+[unit]
+description = "Display setup"
+requires_weak = ["00_base.target"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "ion"
+args = ["-c", "true"]
+envs = { VT = "3" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
 """
 
-# Override console config to not switch to VT 2
+# Override: do not activate VT 2 (desktop uses VT 3)
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/29_activate_console.service"
+data = ""
+
+# Override console config to depend on display instead of VT activation
+[[files]]
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 20_display
-nowait getty 2
-nowait getty /scheme/debug/no-preserve -J
+[unit]
+description = "Console terminals"
+requires_weak = ["20_display.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "getty"
+args = ["2"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
+respawn = true
+"""
+
+[[files]]
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/31_debug_console.service"
+data = """
+[unit]
+description = "Debug console"
+requires_weak = ["30_console.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "getty"
+args = ["/scheme/debug/no-preserve", "-J"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
+respawn = true
 """
diff --git a/config/minimal.toml b/config/minimal.toml
index 5f110740..368e67bb 100644
--- a/config/minimal.toml
+++ b/config/minimal.toml
@@ -17,10 +17,42 @@ pkgutils = {}
 kibi = {}
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/29_activate_console.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-inputd -A 2
-nowait getty 2
-nowait getty /scheme/debug/no-preserve -J
+[unit]
+description = "Activate console VT"
+requires_weak = ["00_base.target"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "inputd"
+args = ["-A", "2"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
+"""
+
+[[files]]
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console.service"
+data = """
+[unit]
+description = "Console terminals"
+requires_weak = ["29_activate_console.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "getty"
+args = ["2"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
+respawn = true
+"""
+
+[[files]]
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/31_debug_console.service"
+data = """
+[unit]
+description = "Debug console"
+requires_weak = ["29_activate_console.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "getty"
+args = ["/scheme/debug/no-preserve", "-J"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
+respawn = true
 """
diff --git a/config/os-test.toml b/config/os-test.toml
index 58ed1b4b..c7ebbc9a 100644
--- a/config/os-test.toml
+++ b/config/os-test.toml
@@ -14,9 +14,15 @@ prompt = false
 os-test-bins = {} # Provides source and cross-compiled binaries
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-RUST_BACKTRACE=full os-test-runner
-shutdown
+[unit]
+description = "OS test runner"
+requires_weak = ["00_base.target"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "ion"
+args = ["-c", "os-test-runner; shutdown"]
+envs = { RUST_BACKTRACE = "full" }
+type = "oneshot"
 """
diff --git a/config/redbear-legacy-base.toml b/config/redbear-legacy-base.toml
index 19b119ea..3d9c4a3d 100644
--- a/config/redbear-legacy-base.toml
+++ b/config/redbear-legacy-base.toml
@@ -1,15 +1,11 @@
-# Red Bear OS overrides for legacy base init scripts.
+# Red Bear OS overrides for base init services.
 #
-# 00_base: tmpdir setup + sudo --daemon. ipcd and ptyd are started by the
-#          systemd-style services in base recipe's init.d/ (00_ipcd.service,
-#          00_ptyd.service). The old "notify" calls have been removed because
-#          the "notify" binary does not exist — they always failed silently.
-#          sudo --daemon is kept here because 00_sudo.service exists in the base
-#          recipe but is not wired into any target that gets scheduled.
-# 00_drivers: removed — pcid-spawner is started by 00_pcid-spawner.service from
-#             the base recipe. The legacy script was redundant.
-# 10_net: blanked — replaced by per-config network services (e.g. redbear-live-mini's
-#         10_smolnetd.service + 10_dhcpd.service).
+# 00_base.service: stripped base setup (tmpdir only, no sudo — sudo runs from
+#                  base.toml's 00_sudo.service). ipcd and ptyd are started by
+#                  00_ipcd.service and 00_ptyd.service from the base recipe.
+# 00_drivers / 10_net: no longer overridden — the legacy scripts were removed
+#             from base.toml. pcid-spawner is started by 00_pcid-spawner.service
+#             from the base recipe; smolnetd/dhcpd have their own .service files.
 # 00_pcid-spawner.service: overridden to oneshot_async. The base recipe uses
 #          type="oneshot" which blocks init until pcid-spawner exits. On real
 #          hardware (and QEMU), pcid-spawner can hang waiting for a PCI device
@@ -18,21 +14,17 @@
 #          services while drivers spawn in the background.
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/00_base"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/00_base.service"
 data = """
-# clear and recreate tmpdir with 0o1777 permission
-rm -rf /tmp
-mkdir -m a=rwxt /tmp
+[unit]
+description = "Base environment setup (tmpdir)"
+
+[service]
+cmd = "ion"
+args = ["-c", "rm -rf /tmp; mkdir -m a=rwxt /tmp"]
+type = "oneshot"
 """
 
-[[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/00_drivers"
-data = ""
-
-[[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_net"
-data = ""
-
 [[files]]
 path = "/etc/init.d/20_audiod.service"
 data = """
diff --git a/config/redbear-legacy-desktop.toml b/config/redbear-legacy-desktop.toml
index 37f2f193..34b0e7e8 100644
--- a/config/redbear-legacy-desktop.toml
+++ b/config/redbear-legacy-desktop.toml
@@ -1,9 +1,18 @@
-# Red Bear OS overrides for broken legacy desktop init scripts.
+# Red Bear OS overrides for legacy desktop init services.
+# Blank the display and console services inherited from desktop-minimal.toml.
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/20_display"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/20_display.service"
 data = ""
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/29_activate_console.service"
+data = ""
+
+[[files]]
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console.service"
+data = ""
+
+[[files]]
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/31_debug_console.service"
 data = ""
diff --git a/config/redoxer-gui.toml b/config/redoxer-gui.toml
index c3e6149a..8aa18635 100644
--- a/config/redoxer-gui.toml
+++ b/config/redoxer-gui.toml
@@ -9,10 +9,15 @@ orbital = {}
 
 # Override to run inside of orbital
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_redoxer"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_redoxer.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-echo
-echo "## running redoxer in orbital ##"
-nowait VT=3 orbital redoxerd
+[unit]
+description = "Redoxer GUI test (orbital)"
+requires_weak = ["10_dhcpd.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "orbital"
+args = ["redoxerd"]
+envs = { VT = "3" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
 """
diff --git a/config/redoxer.toml b/config/redoxer.toml
index 6532300d..6875066d 100644
--- a/config/redoxer.toml
+++ b/config/redoxer.toml
@@ -15,20 +15,42 @@ pkgutils = {}
 relibc = {}
 sed = {}
 
-# Override to not background dhcpd
+# Override network services for redoxer (foreground dhcpd)
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_net"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_smolnetd.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 00_drivers
-notify smolnetd
-dhcpd
+[unit]
+description = "Network stack for redoxer"
+requires_weak = ["00_pcid-spawner.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "netstack"
+type = "oneshot_async"
 """
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_redoxer"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_dhcpd.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-ion /usr/lib/run_redoxer.ion
+[unit]
+description = "DHCP client (foreground) for redoxer"
+requires_weak = ["10_smolnetd.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "dhcpd"
+type = "oneshot_async"
+"""
+
+[[files]]
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_redoxer.service"
+data = """
+[unit]
+description = "Redoxer test runner"
+requires_weak = ["10_dhcpd.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "ion"
+args = ["/usr/lib/run_redoxer.ion"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
 """
 
 [[files]]
diff --git a/config/sys-build.toml b/config/sys-build.toml
index 9534edda..7f75662b 100644
--- a/config/sys-build.toml
+++ b/config/sys-build.toml
@@ -14,10 +14,16 @@ bottom = "ignore"
 kibi = "ignore"
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-ion /usr/lib/sys_build.ion
+[unit]
+description = "System build test"
+requires_weak = ["00_base.target"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "ion"
+args = ["/usr/lib/sys_build.ion"]
+type = "oneshot"
 """
 
 [[files]]
diff --git a/config/x11.toml b/config/x11.toml
index 38fd1e6d..65348745 100644
--- a/config/x11.toml
+++ b/config/x11.toml
@@ -27,10 +27,16 @@ x11-full = {}
 zenity = {}
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_dbus"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_dbus.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-bash /usr/bin/start-dbus.sh
+[unit]
+description = "D-Bus system bus (X11)"
+requires_weak = ["00_base.target"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "bash"
+args = ["/usr/bin/start-dbus.sh"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
 """
 
 [[files]]
@@ -49,19 +55,31 @@ dbus-daemon --system
 """
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_xenv"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/10_xenv.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-glib-compile-schemas /usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/
+[unit]
+description = "Compile glib schemas"
+requires_weak = ["00_base.target"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "glib-compile-schemas"
+args = ["/usr/share/glib-2.0/schemas/"]
+type = "oneshot"
 """
 
 # Overridden to launch X instead of orblogin
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/20_orbital"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/20_orbital.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_dbus 10_xenv
-notify audiod
-nowait BROWSER=/bin/netsurf-fb VT=3 orbital orbital-x11
+[unit]
+description = "Orbital display (X11)"
+requires_weak = ["10_dbus.service", "10_xenv.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "orbital"
+args = ["orbital-x11"]
+envs = { BROWSER = "/bin/netsurf-fb", VT = "3" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
 """
 
 [[files]]
@@ -131,11 +149,33 @@ mate-session&
 
 # Override console config to set DISPLAY=:0
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 20_orbital
-nowait DISPLAY=:0 getty 2
-nowait DISPLAY=:0 getty /scheme/debug/no-preserve -J
+[unit]
+description = "Console terminals (X11)"
+requires_weak = ["20_orbital.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "getty"
+args = ["2"]
+envs = { DISPLAY = ":0" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
+respawn = true
+"""
+
+[[files]]
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/31_debug_console.service"
+data = """
+[unit]
+description = "Debug console (X11)"
+requires_weak = ["30_console.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "getty"
+args = ["/scheme/debug/no-preserve", "-J"]
+envs = { DISPLAY = ":0" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
+respawn = true
 """
 
 
diff --git a/config/x86_64/desktop-contain.toml b/config/x86_64/desktop-contain.toml
index 6fca0f18..cca5dcac 100644
--- a/config/x86_64/desktop-contain.toml
+++ b/config/x86_64/desktop-contain.toml
@@ -15,20 +15,46 @@ include = ["../desktop.toml"]
 
 # Override orbital init to use contain_orblogin
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/20_orbital"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/20_orbital.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-notify audiod
-nowait VT=3 orbital contain_orblogin launcher
+[unit]
+description = "Orbital display (contain sandbox)"
+requires_weak = ["00_base.target"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "orbital"
+args = ["contain_orblogin", "launcher"]
+envs = { VT = "3" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
 """
 
 # Override console init to use contain
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/30_console.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 20_orbital
-nowait getty --contain 2
-nowait getty --contain /scheme/debug/no-preserve -J
+[unit]
+description = "Console terminals (contained)"
+requires_weak = ["20_orbital.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "getty"
+args = ["--contain", "2"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
+respawn = true
+"""
+
+[[files]]
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/31_debug_console.service"
+data = """
+[unit]
+description = "Debug console (contained)"
+requires_weak = ["30_console.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "getty"
+args = ["--contain", "/scheme/debug/no-preserve", "-J"]
+type = "oneshot_async"
+respawn = true
 """
 
 [[files]]
diff --git a/config/x86_64/server-demo.toml b/config/x86_64/server-demo.toml
index 6b764915..9a22550d 100644
--- a/config/x86_64/server-demo.toml
+++ b/config/x86_64/server-demo.toml
@@ -36,18 +36,30 @@ website = {}
 
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/98_keygen_sh"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/98_keygen_sh.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 10_net
-bash /root/keygen.sh
+[unit]
+description = "SSH key generation"
+requires_weak = ["00_base.target"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "bash"
+args = ["/root/keygen.sh"]
+type = "oneshot"
 """
 
 [[files]]
-path = "/usr/lib/init.d/99_rustysd"
+path = "/usr/lib/init.d/99_rustysd.service"
 data = """
-requires_weak 98_keygen_sh
-# Undocumented usage of rsdctl, pointing to notifications dir
-RSDCTL_ADDR=/var/run/rustysd/control.socket rustysd --conf /etc/rustysd
+[unit]
+description = "Rustysd service manager"
+requires_weak = ["98_keygen_sh.service"]
+
+[service]
+cmd = "rustysd"
+args = ["--conf", "/etc/rustysd"]
+envs = { RSDCTL_ADDR = "/var/run/rustysd/control.socket" }
+type = "oneshot_async"
 """
 
 [[files]]