diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/upstart/upstart.nix b/nixos/modules/system/upstart/upstart.nix
index 1ad4885edf58..5c0461304072 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/upstart/upstart.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/upstart/upstart.nix
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ let
             if job.daemonType == "fork" || job.daemonType == "daemon" then { Type = "forking"; GuessMainPID = true; } else
             if job.daemonType == "none" then { } else
             throw "invalid daemon type `${job.daemonType}'")
-        // optionalAttrs (!job.task && job.respawn)
+        // optionalAttrs (!job.task && !(job.script == "" && job.exec == "") && job.respawn)
           { Restart = "always"; }
         // optionalAttrs job.task
           { Type = "oneshot"; RemainAfterExit = false; };