diff --git a/src/hostname/hostnamed.c b/src/hostname/hostnamed.c
index ce71871618..dcd1264534 100644
--- a/src/hostname/hostnamed.c
+++ b/src/hostname/hostnamed.c
@@ -1964,7 +1964,7 @@ static int connect_bus(Context *c) {
         assert(c->event);
         assert(!c->bus);
 
-        r = sd_bus_default_system(&c->bus);
+        r = bus_open_system_watch_bind_with_description(&c->bus, "bus-api-hostname");
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to get system bus connection: %m");
 
diff --git a/units/systemd-hostnamed.service.in b/units/systemd-hostnamed.service.in
index ab00c24b53..9bc58f4c13 100644
--- a/units/systemd-hostnamed.service.in
+++ b/units/systemd-hostnamed.service.in
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ Documentation=man:systemd-hostnamed.service(8)
 Documentation=man:hostname(5)
 Documentation=man:machine-info(5)
 Documentation=man:org.freedesktop.hostname1(5)
+DefaultDependencies=no
+Conflicts=shutdown.target
+Before=shutdown.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=notify
diff --git a/units/systemd-hostnamed.socket b/units/systemd-hostnamed.socket
index 288e736b47..f84853ade8 100644
--- a/units/systemd-hostnamed.socket
+++ b/units/systemd-hostnamed.socket
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ Description=Hostname Service Socket
 Documentation=man:systemd-hostnamed.service(8)
 Documentation=man:hostname(5)
 Documentation=man:machine-info(5)
+DefaultDependencies=no
+Conflicts=shutdown.target
+Before=shutdown.target sockets.target
 
 [Socket]
 ListenStream=/run/systemd/io.systemd.Hostname