diff --git a/nixos/modules/hardware/printers.nix b/nixos/modules/hardware/printers.nix
index 64c29bb0a5b3..a8211b8c17cd 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/hardware/printers.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/hardware/printers.nix
@@ -110,21 +110,26 @@ in {
   };
 
   config = mkIf (cfg.ensurePrinters != [] && config.services.printing.enable) {
-    systemd.services.ensure-printers = let
-      cupsUnit = if config.services.printing.startWhenNeeded then "cups.socket" else "cups.service";
-    in {
+    systemd.services.ensure-printers = {
       description = "Ensure NixOS-configured CUPS printers";
       wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
-      requires = [ cupsUnit ];
-      after = [ cupsUnit ];
+      wants = [ "cups.service" ];
+      after = [ "cups.service" ];
 
       serviceConfig = {
         Type = "oneshot";
         RemainAfterExit = true;
       };
 
-      script = concatMapStringsSep "\n" ensurePrinter cfg.ensurePrinters
-        + optionalString (cfg.ensureDefaultPrinter != null) (ensureDefaultPrinter cfg.ensureDefaultPrinter);
+      script = concatStringsSep "\n" [
+        (concatMapStrings ensurePrinter cfg.ensurePrinters)
+        (optionalString (cfg.ensureDefaultPrinter != null)
+          (ensureDefaultPrinter cfg.ensureDefaultPrinter))
+        # Note: if cupsd is "stateless" the service can't be stopped,
+        # otherwise the configuration will be wiped on the next start.
+        (optionalString (with config.services.printing; startWhenNeeded && !stateless)
+          "systemctl stop cups.service")
+      ];
     };
   };
 }