diff --git a/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/install_runner.yml b/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/install_runner.yml
index b977c45..82d4c73 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/install_runner.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/install_runner.yml
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@
 - name: Include validation
   ansible.builtin.include_tasks: validate.yml
 
+- name: Include service setup
+  ansible.builtin.include_tasks: service.yml
+
 - name: Include registration
   ansible.builtin.include_tasks: register.yml
   when: not gitea_runner_skip_registration
-
-- name: Include service setup
-  ansible.builtin.include_tasks: service.yml
diff --git a/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/register.yml b/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/register.yml
index 105753c..931c761 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/register.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/register.yml
@@ -44,6 +44,16 @@
     ('already exists' not in gitea_runner_register_output.stdout | default(''))
   timeout: 60
 
-# Note: service start is handled by service.yml (included after register.yml
-# in install_runner.yml). Starting here fails because the systemd unit file
-# has not been created yet.
+- name: Restart runner service after (re-)registration
+  ansible.builtin.command: systemctl --user restart gitea-runner
+  become: true
+  become_user: "{{ gitea_runner_service_user }}"
+  environment:
+    XDG_RUNTIME_DIR: "/run/user/{{ gitea_runner_uid }}"
+    DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS: "unix:path=/run/user/{{ gitea_runner_uid | default(0) }}/bus"
+  changed_when: true
+  when:
+    - gitea_runner_systemd_available.stat.exists
+    - gitea_runner_docker_rootless_setup
+    - gitea_runner_register_output is defined
+    - gitea_runner_register_output.rc | default(1) == 0
diff --git a/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/rootless_docker.yml b/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/rootless_docker.yml
index 4c61836..1f62ae3 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/rootless_docker.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/gitea_runner/tasks/rootless_docker.yml
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@
       {% if gitea_runner_docker_rootless_net_driver == 'pasta' %}
       Environment="DOCKERD_ROOTLESS_ROOTLESSKIT_FLAGS=--ipv6"
       {% endif %}
+      Restart=always
+      RestartSec=5
+      StartLimitIntervalSec=300
+      StartLimitBurst=10
     mode: "0644"
     owner: "{{ gitea_runner_service_user }}"
     group: "{{ gitea_runner_service_user }}"
@@ -254,6 +258,10 @@
       {% if gitea_runner_docker_rootless_net_driver == 'pasta' %}
       Environment="DOCKERD_ROOTLESS_ROOTLESSKIT_FLAGS=--ipv6"
       {% endif %}
+      Restart=always
+      RestartSec=5
+      StartLimitIntervalSec=300
+      StartLimitBurst=10
     mode: "0644"
     owner: "{{ gitea_runner_service_user }}"
     group: "{{ gitea_runner_service_user }}"