diff --git a/make/container.mk b/make/container.mk
index 189d9b4..323ef58 100644
--- a/make/container.mk
+++ b/make/container.mk
@@ -2,17 +2,6 @@ CPU_ARCH := $(if $(shell which arch 2>/dev/null),\
 	$(shell arch),\
 	$(shell lscpu | grep ^Architecture: | sed "s/^Architecture:[[:space:]]*\([[:alnum:][:punct:]]\+\).*/\1/"))
 IMAGE_PREFIX := $(if $(filter armv7%,$(CPU_ARCH)),armv7/)
-COMPOSE_CMD := \
-	ALPINE_VERSION="$(ALPINE_VERSION)" \
-	IMAGE_PREFIX="$(IMAGE_PREFIX)" \
-	GEMINI_CERTIFICATES_DIR="$(GEMINI_CERTIFICATES_DIR)" \
-	GEMINI_COMITIUM_DATA_DIR="$(GEMINI_COMITIUM_DATA_DIR)" \
-	ETHERPAD_DATA_DIR="$(ETHERPAD_DATA_DIR)" \
-	ETHERPAD_VERSION="$(ETHERPAD_VERSION)" \
-	VAULTWARDEN_DATA_DIR="$(VAULTWARDEN_DATA_DIR)" \
-	LOCAL_SMTP_PORT=$(PORT_smtp) \
-	$(foreach module,$(ALL_MODULES),$(call capitalise,$(module))_PORT=$(PORT_$(module))) \
-	podman-compose
 REGISTRY_DOMAIN := git.joeac.net
 REGISTRY_USER := joeac
 
diff --git a/make/openrc.mk b/make/openrc.mk
index fa2c35a..ec76271 100644
--- a/make/openrc.mk
+++ b/make/openrc.mk
@@ -50,10 +50,10 @@ $(foreach module,$(MODULES),$(eval $(openrc_add_rule)))
 $(foreach module,$(MODULES),$(eval $(openrc_start_rule)))
 $(foreach module,$(MODULES),$(eval $(openrc_restart_rule)))
 
-~/.config/rc/init.d/joeac.net: openrc/init.d/joeac.net ~/.config/rc/init.d ~/.config/rc/runlevels/default /etc/init.d/user.$(USER) /etc/conf.d/user.$(USER)
+~/.config/rc/init.d/joeac.net: openrc/init.d/joeac.net.template ~/.config/rc/init.d ~/.config/rc/runlevels/default /etc/init.d/user.$(USER) /etc/conf.d/user.$(USER)
 	rm -f ~/.config/rc/init.d/joeac.net; \
 	mkdir -p ~/.config/rc/init.d; \
-	cp openrc/init.d/joeac.net ~/.config/rc/init.d/joeac.net
+	COMPOSECMD="$(COMPOSE_CMD)" envsubst -i openrc/init.d/joeac.net.template -o ~/.config/rc/init.d/joeac.net
 
 ~/.config/rc/init.d:
 	mkdir -p ~/.config/rc/init.d
diff --git a/make/vars.mk b/make/vars.mk
index b40592e..2ea7f18 100644
--- a/make/vars.mk
+++ b/make/vars.mk
@@ -53,6 +53,18 @@ INSTALL_RULES := $(foreach module,$(MODULES),install_$(module))
 REINSTALL_RULES := $(foreach module,$(MODULES),reinstall_$(module))
 UNINSTALL_RULES := $(foreach module,$(MODULES),uninstall_$(module))
 
+COMPOSE_CMD := \
+	ALPINE_VERSION="$(ALPINE_VERSION)" \
+	IMAGE_PREFIX="$(IMAGE_PREFIX)" \
+	GEMINI_CERTIFICATES_DIR="$(GEMINI_CERTIFICATES_DIR)" \
+	GEMINI_COMITIUM_DATA_DIR="$(GEMINI_COMITIUM_DATA_DIR)" \
+	ETHERPAD_DATA_DIR="$(ETHERPAD_DATA_DIR)" \
+	ETHERPAD_VERSION="$(ETHERPAD_VERSION)" \
+	VAULTWARDEN_DATA_DIR="$(VAULTWARDEN_DATA_DIR)" \
+	LOCAL_SMTP_PORT=$(PORT_smtp) \
+	$(foreach module,$(ALL_MODULES),$(call capitalise,$(module))_PORT=$(PORT_$(module))) \
+	podman-compose
+
 $(foreach module,$(ALL_NGINX_MODULES), \
 	$(if $(SUBDOMAIN_$(module)),, \
 		$(error $(module) is declared as an nginx module, but SUBDOMAIN_$(module) is not set)))
diff --git a/openrc/init.d/joeac.net b/openrc/init.d/joeac.net
index 2d35363..7cf3fd1 100755
--- a/openrc/init.d/joeac.net
+++ b/openrc/init.d/joeac.net
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ DOCKER_COMPOSE_UP_ARGS=${DOCKER_COMPOSE_UP_ARGS-"--no-build --no-recreate --no-d
 [ -z "${MODULENAME}" ] && exit 1
 : ${COMPOSEFILE:="${SRCDIR}/compose.yml"}
 : ${MAKEFILE:="${SRCDIR}/Makefile"}
-COMPOSECMD="/usr/bin/podman-compose"
 export COMPOSE_HTTP_TIMEOUT=300
 
 description="Manage dockerservices defined in ${COMPOSEFILE}"
diff --git a/openrc/init.d/joeac.net.template b/openrc/init.d/joeac.net.template
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..584cc61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openrc/init.d/joeac.net.template
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#!/sbin/openrc-run
+# credits:
+# https://gist.github.com/itzwam/2069e935385193207f7e5bea7156e21d
+# https://github.com/0x17de/dockerservice-openrc
+
+: $${HOME:=/home/joeac.net}
+: $${MODULENAME:=$${RC_SVCNAME##*.}}
+: $${SRCDIR:=$$HOME/joeac.net}
+DOCKER_COMPOSE_UP_ARGS=$${DOCKER_COMPOSE_UP_ARGS-"--no-build --no-recreate --no-deps"}
+
+[ -z "$${MODULENAME}" ] && exit 1
+: $${COMPOSEFILE:="$${SRCDIR}/compose.yml"}
+: $${MAKEFILE:="$${SRCDIR}/Makefile"}
+export COMPOSE_HTTP_TIMEOUT=300
+
+description="Manage dockerservices defined in $${COMPOSEFILE}"
+extra_commands="configtest"
+description_configtest="Check configuration via \"podman-compose -f $${COMPOSEFILE} config\""
+
+configtest() {
+  if ! [ -f "$${COMPOSEFILE}" ]; then
+    eerror "The docker-compose file $${COMPOSEFILE} does not exist!"
+    return 1
+  fi
+  if "${COMPOSECMD}" -f "$${COMPOSEFILE}" config >&/dev/null; then
+    einfo "config: ok"
+  else
+    eerror "config: error"
+    return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+start() {
+  configtest || return 1
+  ebegin "Starting $${MODULENAME}"
+  "${COMPOSECMD}" -f "$${COMPOSEFILE}" up -d $${DOCKER_COMPOSE_UP_ARGS} $${MODULENAME}
+  eend $$?
+}
+
+stop() {
+  ebegin "Stopping $${MODULENAME}"
+  "${COMPOSECMD}" -f "$${COMPOSEFILE}" down --timeout=5 $${MODULENAME}
+  eend $$?
+}
+
+status() {
+  pods=0
+  started=0
+  while read pod; do
+	pod_service="$$(podman inspect $$pod | jq .[0].Config.Labels.[\"com.docker.compose.service\"])"
+	if ! [ "$$pod_service" = "\"$${MODULENAME}\"" ]; then
+		continue
+	fi
+        pods=$$(($$pods+1))
+        if podman top $$pod &>/dev/null; then
+                einfo "status: [$$pod] started"
+		exit 0
+        else
+                einfo "status: [$$pod] stopped"
+		exit 3
+        fi
+  done < <("${COMPOSECMD}" -f "$${COMPOSEFILE}" ps --quiet)
+  einfo "status: no container found for $${MODULENAME}"
+  exit 3
+}