diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/etc/etc-activation.nix b/nixos/modules/system/etc/etc-activation.nix
index f47fd771c659..ed9f50941771 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/etc/etc-activation.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/etc/etc-activation.nix
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
             ] ++ lib.optionals (!config.system.etc.overlay.mutable) [
               "ro"
             ]);
-            wantedBy = [ "initrd-fs.target" ];
+            requiredBy = [ "initrd-fs.target" ];
             before = [ "initrd-fs.target" ];
             requires = lib.mkIf config.system.etc.overlay.mutable [ "rw-etc.service" ];
             after = lib.mkIf config.system.etc.overlay.mutable [ "rw-etc.service" ];
diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/etc/etc.nix b/nixos/modules/system/etc/etc.nix
index 69f4ab92548f..ae186467ee6b 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/etc/etc.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/etc/etc.nix
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ in
         ${pkgs.move-mount-beneath}/bin/move-mount --move --beneath $tmpEtcMount /etc
 
         # Unmount the top /etc mount to atomically reveal the new mount.
-        umount --recursive /etc
+        umount --lazy --recursive /etc
       fi
     '' else ''
       # Set up the statically computed bits of /etc.