diff --git a/contrib/deb/generate.sh b/contrib/deb/generate.sh
index 5af31d5c..0eb21882 100644
--- a/contrib/deb/generate.sh
+++ b/contrib/deb/generate.sh
@@ -52,8 +52,11 @@ Architecture: $PKGARCH
 Replaces: $PKGREPLACES
 Conflicts: $PKGREPLACES
 Maintainer: Neil Alexander <neilalexander@users.noreply.github.com>
-Description: Debian yggdrasil package
- Binary yggdrasil package for Debian and Ubuntu
+Description: Yggdrasil Network
+ Yggdrasil is an early-stage implementation of a fully end-to-end encrypted IPv6
+ network. It is lightweight, self-arranging, supported on multiple platforms and
+ allows pretty much any IPv6-capable application to communicate securely with
+ other Yggdrasil nodes.
 EOF
 cat > /tmp/$PKGNAME/debian/copyright << EOF
 Please see https://github.com/yggdrasil-network/yggdrasil-go/
@@ -68,21 +71,40 @@ etc/systemd/system/*.service etc/systemd/system
 EOF
 cat > /tmp/$PKGNAME/debian/postinst << EOF
 #!/bin/sh
+
+if ! getent group yggdrasil 2>&1 > /dev/null; then
+  addgroup --system --quiet yggdrasil
+fi
+
 if [ -f /etc/yggdrasil.conf ];
 then
   mkdir -p /var/backups
   echo "Backing up configuration file to /var/backups/yggdrasil.conf.`date +%Y%m%d`"
   cp /etc/yggdrasil.conf /var/backups/yggdrasil.conf.`date +%Y%m%d`
-  echo "Normalising /etc/yggdrasil.conf"
+  echo "Normalising and updating /etc/yggdrasil.conf"
   /usr/bin/yggdrasil -useconffile /var/backups/yggdrasil.conf.`date +%Y%m%d` -normaliseconf > /etc/yggdrasil.conf
+  chgrp yggdrasil /etc/yggdrasil.conf
+
+  if command -v systemctl >/dev/null; then
+    systemctl daemon-reload >/dev/null || true
+    systemctl enable yggdrasil || true
+    systemctl start yggdrasil || true
+  fi
+else
+  echo "Generating initial configuration file /etc/yggdrasil.conf"
+  echo "Please familiarise yourself with this file before starting Yggdrasil"
+  /usr/bin/yggdrasil -genconf > /etc/yggdrasil.conf
+  chgrp yggdrasil /etc/yggdrasil.conf
 fi
-systemctl enable yggdrasil
-systemctl start yggdrasil
 EOF
 cat > /tmp/$PKGNAME/debian/prerm << EOF
 #!/bin/sh
-systemctl disable yggdrasil
-systemctl stop yggdrasil
+if command -v systemctl >/dev/null; then
+  if systemctl is-active --quiet yggdrasil; then
+    systemctl stop yggdrasil || true
+  fi
+  systemctl disable yggdrasil || true
+fi
 EOF
 
 cp yggdrasil /tmp/$PKGNAME/usr/bin/
diff --git a/contrib/systemd/yggdrasil.service b/contrib/systemd/yggdrasil.service
index 9ae4a079..1b6f1f07 100644
--- a/contrib/systemd/yggdrasil.service
+++ b/contrib/systemd/yggdrasil.service
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Wants=network.target
 After=network.target
 
 [Service]
+Group=yggdrasil
 ProtectHome=true
 ProtectSystem=true
 SyslogIdentifier=yggdrasil
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -ec "if ! test -s /etc/yggdrasil.conf; \
                 yggdrasil -genconf > /etc/yggdrasil.conf; \
                 echo 'WARNING: A new /etc/yggdrasil.conf file has been generated.'; \
             fi"
-ExecStart=/bin/sh -c "exec yggdrasil -useconf < /etc/yggdrasil.conf"
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/yggdrasil -useconffile /etc/yggdrasil.conf
 Restart=always
 
 [Install]