diff --git a/server/module_lib/icon_lib.py b/server/module_lib/icon_lib.py
index 5d35da4..ac23328 100644
--- a/server/module_lib/icon_lib.py
+++ b/server/module_lib/icon_lib.py
@@ -73,3 +73,10 @@ class IconModule(object):
     with open(os.path.join(self._chroot_path, 'etc', 'modules'), 'a') as fh:
       for module in modules:
         fh.write('%s\n' % module)
+
+  def ServiceFile(self, service):
+    path = os.path.join(self._chroot_path, 'lib', 'systemd', 'system', service)
+    return open(path, 'w')
+
+  def EnableService(self, service):
+    self.ExecChroot('systemctl', 'enable', service)
diff --git a/server/modules/persistent.py b/server/modules/persistent.py
index aa17d9f..221509f 100755
--- a/server/modules/persistent.py
+++ b/server/modules/persistent.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 import argparse
 import os
 
+import icon_lib
+
 
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description='iconograph persistent')
 parser.add_argument(
@@ -14,24 +16,40 @@ FLAGS = parser.parse_args()
 
 
 def main():
+  module = icon_lib.IconModule(FLAGS.chroot_path)
+
   os.mkdir(os.path.join(FLAGS.chroot_path, 'persistent'))
 
-  init = os.path.join(FLAGS.chroot_path, 'etc', 'init', 'persistent.conf')
-  with open(init, 'w') as fh:
-    fh.write("""
-description "Mount /persistent"
+  tool_path = os.path.join(FLAGS.chroot_path, 'icon', 'persistent')
+  os.makedirs(tool_path, exist_ok=True)
 
-start on filesystem
-task
-
-emits persistent-ready
-
-script
-  mount -o data=journal,noatime,sync LABEL=PERSISTENT /persistent
-  initctl emit --no-wait persistent-ready
-end script
+  script = os.path.join(tool_path, 'startup.sh')
+  with open(script, 'w') as fh:
+    os.chmod(fh.fileno(), 0o755)
+    fh.write("""\
+#!/bin/bash
+mount -o data=journal,noatime,sync LABEL=PERSISTENT /persistent
 """)
 
+  with module.ServiceFile('persistent.service') as fh:
+    fh.write("""
+[Unit]
+Description=Mount /persistent
+DefaultDependencies=no
+Conflicts=shutdown.target
+After=systemd-remount-fs.service
+Before=sysinit.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+RemainAfterExit=yes
+ExecStart=/icon/persistent/startup.sh
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=sysinit.target
+""")
+  module.EnableService('persistent.service')
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
   main()
diff --git a/server/modules/systemid.py b/server/modules/systemid.py
index feba9a8..052597f 100755
--- a/server/modules/systemid.py
+++ b/server/modules/systemid.py
@@ -35,24 +35,7 @@ hostname --file /etc/hostname
 grep ${SYSTEMID} /etc/hosts >/dev/null || echo "127.0.2.1 ${SYSTEMID}" >> /etc/hosts
 """)
 
-  upstart = os.path.join(FLAGS.chroot_path, 'etc', 'init', 'systemid.conf')
-  with open(upstart, 'w') as fh:
-    fh.write("""
-description "Mount /systemid"
-
-start on filesystem
-task
-
-emits systemid-ready
-
-script
-  /icon/systemid/startup.sh
-  initctl emit --no-wait systemid-ready
-end script
-""")
-
-  systemd = os.path.join(FLAGS.chroot_path, 'lib', 'systemd', 'system', 'systemid.service')
-  with open(systemd, 'w') as fh:
+  with module.ServiceFile('systemid.service') as fh:
     fh.write("""
 [Unit]
 Description=Mount /systemid and configure from it
@@ -69,18 +52,8 @@ ExecStart=/icon/systemid/startup.sh
 [Install]
 WantedBy=sysinit.target
 """)
-  try:
-    module.ExecChroot(
-        'systemctl',
-        'unmask',
-        'systemid.service')
-    module.ExecChroot(
-        'systemctl',
-        'enable',
-        'systemid.service')
-  except icon_lib.SubprocessFailure:
-    # trusty backwards-compat
-    pass
+  module.EnableService('systemid.service')
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
   main()