diff --git a/configs/nixos/guests/palworld.nix b/configs/nixos/guests/palworld.nix
index 212a20d..71bab38 100644
--- a/configs/nixos/guests/palworld.nix
+++ b/configs/nixos/guests/palworld.nix
@@ -50,6 +50,12 @@ in
       description = "Public IP address advertised by the Palworld server.";
     };
 
+    autoStart = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.bool;
+      default = true;
+      description = "Start the Palworld server after the guest reaches network readiness.";
+    };
+
     passwordSecret = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.str;
       default = "services/game-servers/password";
@@ -82,7 +88,7 @@ in
     guests.palworld = {
       interior.modules.services.games.palworld = {
         enable = true;
-        inherit (cfg) serverName port publicIP;
+        inherit (cfg) serverName port publicIP autoStart;
         inherit steamDir installDir stateDir;
         passwordFile = "/run/secrets/${cfg.passwordSecret}";
         adminPasswordFile = "/run/secrets/${cfg.adminPasswordSecret}";
diff --git a/configs/nixos/hosts/pikachu/default.nix b/configs/nixos/hosts/pikachu/default.nix
index 2853ea6..6ed01b0 100644
--- a/configs/nixos/hosts/pikachu/default.nix
+++ b/configs/nixos/hosts/pikachu/default.nix
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@
     installPath = "/pikachu/data/servers/palworld/tracion";
     statePath = "/pikachu/media/games/servers/palworld/tracion";
     serverName = "Tracion";
+    autoStart = false;
     adminPasswordSecret = "services/game-servers/admin/password";
     publicIP = config.guests.palworld.address;
     reverseProxy = {
diff --git a/configs/nixos/modules/services/games/palworld.nix b/configs/nixos/modules/services/games/palworld.nix
index 7c321da..4e2fa66 100644
--- a/configs/nixos/modules/services/games/palworld.nix
+++ b/configs/nixos/modules/services/games/palworld.nix
@@ -56,6 +56,12 @@
       description = "Advertise the server in Palworld's public lobby.";
     };
 
+    autoStart = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.bool;
+      default = true;
+      description = "Start the Palworld server after the guest reaches network readiness.";
+    };
+
     rcon = {
       enable = lib.mkEnableOption "Palworld RCON" // {
         default = true;
@@ -126,6 +132,7 @@
         inherit (service) steamDir installDir stateDir;
         serviceName = "palworld-${lib.toLower service.serverName}";
         appId = 2394010;
+        inherit (service) autoStart;
         executable = "${startScript}";
         arguments =
           [
diff --git a/configs/nixos/modules/services/steamcmd.nix b/configs/nixos/modules/services/steamcmd.nix
index 4720fc4..e15a517 100644
--- a/configs/nixos/modules/services/steamcmd.nix
+++ b/configs/nixos/modules/services/steamcmd.nix
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@
       default = [ ];
       description = "TCP ports opened for the game service.";
     };
+
+    autoStart = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.bool;
+      default = true;
+      description = "Start the game service after the guest reaches network readiness.";
+    };
   };
 
   config = lib.mkMerge [
@@ -142,24 +148,33 @@
             };
           };
 
+          "${service.serviceName}-autostart" = {
+            description = "Queue ${service.serviceName} game server startup";
+            after = [ "network-online.target" ];
+            wants = [ "network-online.target" ];
+            wantedBy = lib.mkIf service.autoStart [ "multi-user.target" ];
+            serviceConfig = {
+              Type = "oneshot";
+              ExecStart = "${pkgs.systemd}/bin/systemctl --no-block start ${service.serviceName}.service";
+            };
+          };
+
           ${service.serviceName} = {
             description = "${service.serviceName} game server";
             after = [
-              "multi-user.target"
               "network-online.target"
               "steamcmd-${service.serviceName}-update.service"
             ];
-            wants = [ "network-online.target" ];
-            wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
+            wants = [
+              "network-online.target"
+              "steamcmd-${service.serviceName}-update.service"
+            ];
             serviceConfig = {
               Type = "simple";
               User = user;
               Group = group;
               WorkingDirectory = "-${service.installDir}";
-              ExecStartPre = [
-                "+${prepareScript}"
-                updateScript
-              ];
+              ExecStartPre = "+${prepareScript}";
               ExecStart = startScript;
               Restart = "on-failure";
               TimeoutStartSec = "15min";