diff --git a/scripts/deploy-with-podman.sh b/scripts/deploy-with-podman.sh
index a78280c..ee3124d 100755
--- a/scripts/deploy-with-podman.sh
+++ b/scripts/deploy-with-podman.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ QUADLET_SRC="${QUADLET_SRC:-deploy/quadlet/kubeviz-traefik.container}"
 USER_QUADLET_DIR="${USER_QUADLET_DIR:-${HOME}/.config/containers/systemd}"
 SYSTEM_QUADLET_DIR="${SYSTEM_QUADLET_DIR:-/etc/containers/systemd}"
 PODMAN_USE_SUDO="${PODMAN_USE_SUDO:-}"
+ENABLE_ON_DEPLOY="${ENABLE_ON_DEPLOY:-false}"
 
 if [ -z "${REGISTRY_AUTH_FILE:-}" ]; then
   if [ -n "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR:-}" ] && [ -f "${XDG_RUNTIME_DIR}/containers/auth.json" ]; then
@@ -99,8 +100,14 @@ fi
 
 echo "Reloading ${SYSTEMD_SCOPE} systemd and restarting ${SERVICE_NAME}"
 "${SYSTEMCTL_CMD[@]}" daemon-reload
-"${SYSTEMCTL_CMD[@]}" enable --now "${SERVICE_NAME}"
-"${SYSTEMCTL_CMD[@]}" restart "${SERVICE_NAME}"
+if [ "${ENABLE_ON_DEPLOY}" = "true" ]; then
+  "${SYSTEMCTL_CMD[@]}" enable "${SERVICE_NAME}"
+fi
+if "${SYSTEMCTL_CMD[@]}" is-active --quiet "${SERVICE_NAME}"; then
+  "${SYSTEMCTL_CMD[@]}" restart "${SERVICE_NAME}"
+else
+  "${SYSTEMCTL_CMD[@]}" start "${SERVICE_NAME}"
+fi
 if ! "${SYSTEMCTL_CMD[@]}" is-active --quiet "${SERVICE_NAME}"; then
   echo "Service ${SERVICE_NAME} is not active. Showing diagnostics..."
   "${SYSTEMCTL_CMD[@]}" status "${SERVICE_NAME}" || true