diff --git a/client/cmd/service.go b/client/cmd/service.go
index 156e67d6d..27823cfc7 100644
--- a/client/cmd/service.go
+++ b/client/cmd/service.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func newSVCConfig() *service.Config {
 	}
 
 	if runtime.GOOS == "linux" {
-		config.EnvVars["SYSTEMD_UNIT"] = serviceName
+		config.EnvVars["NB_SERVICE"] = serviceName
 	}
 
 	return config
diff --git a/client/internal/debug/debug_linux.go b/client/internal/debug/debug_linux.go
index 4626cd9a2..de9adc693 100644
--- a/client/internal/debug/debug_linux.go
+++ b/client/internal/debug/debug_linux.go
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ func (g *BundleGenerator) trySystemdLogFallback() error {
 
 // getServiceName gets the service name from environment or defaults to netbird
 func getServiceName() string {
-	if unitName := os.Getenv("SYSTEMD_UNIT"); unitName != "" {
-		log.Debugf("Detected SYSTEMD_UNIT environment variable: %s", unitName)
+	if unitName := os.Getenv("NB_SERVICE"); unitName != "" {
+		log.Debugf("Detected NB_SERVICE environment variable: %s", unitName)
 		return unitName
 	}
 
diff --git a/release_files/systemd/netbird@.service b/release_files/systemd/netbird@.service
index 095c3142d..99d0791f4 100644
--- a/release_files/systemd/netbird@.service
+++ b/release_files/systemd/netbird@.service
@@ -1,21 +1,29 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=Netbird Client (%i)
 Documentation=https://netbird.io/docs
-After=network-online.target syslog.target NetworkManager.service
+After=network-online.target syslog.target
 Wants=network-online.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
+Environment=NB_CONFIG=/etc/netbird/%i.json
+Environment=NB_STATE_DIR=/var/lib/netbird/%i
+Environment=NB_LOG_FILE=/var/log/netbird/%i/client.log
+Environment=NB_DAEMON_ADDR=unix:///var/run/netbird/%i.sock
+Environment=NB_SERVICE=%N
+# for compatibility with older versions
+Environment=SYSTEMD_UNIT=%N
 EnvironmentFile=-/etc/default/netbird
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/netbird service run --log-file /var/log/netbird/client-%i.log --config /etc/netbird/%i.json --daemon-addr unix:///var/run/netbird/%i.sock $FLAGS
+EnvironmentFile=-/etc/default/netbird-%i
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/netbird service run $FLAGS
 Restart=on-failure
 RestartSec=5
 TimeoutStopSec=10
-CacheDirectory=netbird
+CacheDirectory=netbird/%i
 ConfigurationDirectory=netbird
-LogsDirectory=netbird
+LogsDirectory=netbird/%i
 RuntimeDirectory=netbird
-StateDirectory=netbird
+StateDirectory=netbird/%i
 
 # sandboxing
 LockPersonality=yes