diff --git a/mc-service-setup.sh b/mc-service-setup.sh
index 922b675..c4f9ab7 100755
--- a/mc-service-setup.sh
+++ b/mc-service-setup.sh
@@ -291,11 +291,13 @@ info "writing $UNIT_DIR/minecraft.socket"
 cat > "$UNIT_DIR/minecraft.socket" <<EOF
 [Unit]
 Description=Minecraft server console FIFO
-PartOf=minecraft.service
 
+# No Service= and no PartOf= here on purpose. minecraft.service already declares
+# Requires=/After=/Sockets= on this unit, and pointing this one back at the
+# service as well forms an ordering cycle that systemd resolves by failing the
+# job — which surfaces as "a dependency job for minecraft.service failed".
 [Socket]
 ListenFIFO=$FIFO
-Service=minecraft.service
 SocketUser=$MCUSER
 SocketGroup=$MCUSER
 SocketMode=0660
@@ -310,6 +312,7 @@ Documentation=https://docs.neoforged.net/
 After=network-online.target zfs-mount.service
 Wants=network-online.target
 Requires=minecraft.socket
+After=minecraft.socket
 RequiresMountsFor=$SHARE
 
 [Service]
@@ -349,7 +352,7 @@ EOF
 
 info "reloading systemd"
 systemctl daemon-reload
-systemctl enable minecraft.socket minecraft.service >/dev/null
+systemctl enable minecraft.service >/dev/null
 if (( HTTP )); then
     systemctl enable packwiz-http.service >/dev/null
     systemctl restart packwiz-http.service