diff --git a/internal/machine/docker/server.go b/internal/machine/docker/server.go
index f991fe1b..4d154ead 100644
--- a/internal/machine/docker/server.go
+++ b/internal/machine/docker/server.go
@@ -546,10 +546,10 @@ func (s *Server) CreateServiceContainer(
 			Memory:            spec.Container.Resources.Memory,
 			MemoryReservation: spec.Container.Resources.MemoryReservation,
 		},
-		// Always restart service containers if they exit or a machine restarts.
+		// Restart service containers if they exit or a machine restarts unless they are explicitly stopped.
 		// For one-off containers and batch jobs we plan to use a different service type/mode.
 		RestartPolicy: container.RestartPolicy{
-			Name: container.RestartPolicyAlways,
+			Name: container.RestartPolicyUnlessStopped,
 		},
 	}
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/assert.go b/test/e2e/assert.go
index f086a6ae..f6569c8c 100644
--- a/test/e2e/assert.go
+++ b/test/e2e/assert.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func assertContainerMatchesSpec(t *testing.T, ctr api.ServiceContainer, spec api
 	assert.Equal(t, portBindings, ctr.HostConfig.PortBindings)
 
 	assert.Equal(t, container.RestartPolicy{
-		Name:              container.RestartPolicyAlways,
+		Name:              container.RestartPolicyUnlessStopped,
 		MaximumRetryCount: 0,
 	}, ctr.HostConfig.RestartPolicy)
 
diff --git a/test/e2e/service_test.go b/test/e2e/service_test.go
index 9f8137ee..08f055a7 100644
--- a/test/e2e/service_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/service_test.go
@@ -279,35 +279,11 @@ func TestDeployment(t *testing.T) {
 
 		svc, err := cli.InspectService(ctx, client.CaddyServiceName)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
-		assert.Equal(t, client.CaddyServiceName, svc.Name)
-		assert.Equal(t, api.ServiceModeGlobal, svc.Mode)
 		assert.Len(t, svc.Containers, 3)
+		assertServiceMatchesSpec(t, svc, deployment.Spec)
 
 		ctr := svc.Containers[0].Container
 		assert.Regexp(t, `^caddy:2\.\d+\.\d+$`, ctr.Config.Image)
-
-		ports, err := ctr.ServicePorts()
-		require.NoError(t, err)
-		expectedPorts := []api.PortSpec{
-			{
-				PublishedPort: 80,
-				ContainerPort: 80,
-				Protocol:      api.ProtocolTCP,
-				Mode:          api.PortModeHost,
-			},
-			{
-				PublishedPort: 443,
-				ContainerPort: 443,
-				Protocol:      api.ProtocolTCP,
-				Mode:          api.PortModeHost,
-			},
-		}
-		assert.Equal(t, expectedPorts, ports)
-
-		assert.Equal(t, container.RestartPolicy{
-			Name:              container.RestartPolicyAlways,
-			MaximumRetryCount: 0,
-		}, ctr.HostConfig.RestartPolicy)
 	})
 
 	t.Run("caddy with machine placement", func(t *testing.T) {