diff --git a/hosts/by-name/moby/gps.nix b/hosts/by-name/moby/gps.nix
index 2476f7aa..c2ee42f7 100644
--- a/hosts/by-name/moby/gps.nix
+++ b/hosts/by-name/moby/gps.nix
@@ -64,6 +64,5 @@
     "dialout"  # TODO: figure out if dialout is required. that's for /dev/ttyUSB1, but geoclue probably doesn't read that?
   ];
 
-  sane.services.eg25-control.enable = true;
   sane.programs.where-am-i.enableFor.user.colin = true;
 }
diff --git a/hosts/common/programs/default.nix b/hosts/common/programs/default.nix
index 5858be5e..c5c597cf 100644
--- a/hosts/common/programs/default.nix
+++ b/hosts/common/programs/default.nix
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
     ./dino.nix
     ./dissent.nix
     ./dtrx.nix
+    ./eg25-control.nix
     ./element-desktop.nix
     ./engrampa.nix
     ./epiphany.nix
diff --git a/hosts/common/programs/eg25-control.nix b/hosts/common/programs/eg25-control.nix
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e13d7ca5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hosts/common/programs/eg25-control.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+{ config, lib, ... }:
+let
+  cfg = config.sane.programs.eg25-control;
+in
+{
+  sane.programs.eg25-control = {
+    services.eg25-control-powered = {
+      description = "eg25-control-powered: power to the Qualcomm eg25 modem used by PinePhone";
+      startCommand = "eg25-control --power-on --verbose";
+      cleanupCommand = "eg25-control --power-off --verbose";
+      # depends = [ "ModemManager" ]
+    };
+
+    services.eg25-control-gps = {
+      # TODO: separate almanac upload from GPS enablement
+      # - don't want to re-upload the almanac everytime the GPS is toggled
+      # - want to upload almanac even when GPS *isn't* enabled, if we have internet connection.
+      description = "eg25-control-gps: background GPS tracking";
+      startCommand = "eg25-control --enable-gps --dump-debug-info --verbose";
+      cleanupCommand = "eg25-control --disable-gps --dump-debug-info --verbose";
+      depends = [ "eg25-control-powered" ];
+    };
+  };
+
+  # TODO: port to s6
+  systemd.services.eg25-control-freshen-agps = lib.mkIf cfg.enabled {
+    description = "keep assisted-GPS data fresh";
+    serviceConfig = {
+      # XXX: this can have a race condition with eg25-control-gps
+      # - eg25-control-gps initiates DL of new/<agps>
+      # - eg25-control-gps tests new/<agps>: it works
+      # - eg25-control-freshen-agps initiates DL of new/<agps>
+      # - eg25-control-gps: moves new/<agps> into cache/
+      #   - but it moved the result (possibly incomplete) of eg25-control-freshen-agps, incorrectly
+      # in practice, i don't expect much issue from this.
+      ExecStart = "${cfg.package}/bin/eg25-control --ensure-agps-cache --verbose";
+      Restart = "no";
+
+      User = "eg25-control";
+      WorkingDirectory = "/var/lib/eg25-control";
+      StateDirectory = "eg25-control";
+    };
+    startAt = "hourly";  # this is a bit more than necessary, but idk systemd calendar syntax
+    after = [ "network-online.target" "nss-lookup.target" ];
+    requires = [ "network-online.target" ];
+    # wantedBy = [ "network-online.target" ]; # auto-start immediately after boot
+  };
+  users = lib.mkIf cfg.enabled {
+    groups.eg25-control = {};
+    users.eg25-control = {
+      group = "eg25-control";
+      isSystemUser = true;
+      home = "/var/lib/eg25-control";
+      extraGroups = [
+        "dialout"  # required to read /dev/ttyUSB1
+        "networkmanager"  # required to authenticate with mmcli
+      ];
+    };
+  };
+  sane.persist.sys.byStore.plaintext = lib.mkIf cfg.enabled [
+    # to persist agps data, i think.
+    { user = "eg25-control"; group = "eg25-control"; path = "/var/lib/eg25-control"; }
+  ];
+}
diff --git a/hosts/common/programs/swaynotificationcenter/buttons.nix b/hosts/common/programs/swaynotificationcenter/buttons.nix
index d27a22b9..b5d5c16f 100644
--- a/hosts/common/programs/swaynotificationcenter/buttons.nix
+++ b/hosts/common/programs/swaynotificationcenter/buttons.nix
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ let
   };
 in
 {
-  gps = serviceButton "systemd" "eg25-control-gps" "";  # GPS services; other icons: gps, ⌖, 🛰, 🌎, 
-  cell-modem = serviceButton "systemd" "eg25-control-powered" "󰺐";  # icons: 5g, 📡, 📱, ᯤ, ⚡, , 🌐, 📶, 🗼, 󰀂, , 󰺐, 󰩯
+  gps = serviceButton "s6" "eg25-control-gps" "";  # GPS services; other icons: gps, ⌖, 🛰, 🌎, 
+  cell-modem = serviceButton "s6" "eg25-control-powered" "󰺐";  # icons: 5g, 📡, 📱, ᯤ, ⚡, , 🌐, 📶, 🗼, 󰀂, , 󰺐, 󰩯
   vpn = serviceButton "systemd" "wg-quick-vpn-servo" "vpn::hn";
 
   gnome-calls = serviceButton "s6" "gnome-calls" "SIP";
diff --git a/modules/services/default.nix b/modules/services/default.nix
index 74a6e89a..6bad3d61 100644
--- a/modules/services/default.nix
+++ b/modules/services/default.nix
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
   imports = [
     ./clightning.nix
     ./dyn-dns.nix
-    ./eg25-control.nix
     ./eg25-manager.nix
     ./kiwix-serve.nix
     ./mautrix-signal.nix
diff --git a/modules/services/eg25-control.nix b/modules/services/eg25-control.nix
deleted file mode 100644
index 45b9e8ce..00000000
--- a/modules/services/eg25-control.nix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,94 +0,0 @@
-{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
-let
-  cfg = config.sane.services.eg25-control;
-in
-{
-  options.sane.services.eg25-control = with lib; {
-    enable = mkEnableOption "Quectel EG25 modem configuration scripts. alternative to eg25-manager";
-    package = mkOption {
-      type = types.package;
-      default = pkgs.eg25-control;
-    };
-  };
-
-  config = lib.mkIf cfg.enable {
-    users.groups.eg25-control = {};
-    users.users.eg25-control = {
-      group = "eg25-control";
-      isSystemUser = true;
-      home = "/var/lib/eg25-control";
-      extraGroups = [
-        "dialout"  # required to read /dev/ttyUSB1
-        "networkmanager"  # required to authenticate with mmcli
-      ];
-    };
-    sane.persist.sys.byStore.plaintext = [
-      { user = "eg25-control"; group = "eg25-control"; path = "/var/lib/eg25-control"; }
-    ];
-
-    systemd.services.eg25-control-powered = {
-      description = "power to the Qualcomm eg25 modem used by PinePhone";
-      serviceConfig = {
-        Type = "oneshot";
-        RemainAfterExit = true;
-        ExecStart = "${cfg.package}/bin/eg25-control --power-on --verbose";
-        ExecStop = "${cfg.package}/bin/eg25-control --power-off --verbose";
-        Restart = "on-failure";
-        RestartSec = "60s";
-        TimeoutSec = "60s";
-
-        # XXX /sys/class/modem-power/modem-power/device/powered is writable only by root
-        # User = "eg25-control";
-        # WorkingDirectory = "/var/lib/eg25-control";
-        # StateDirectory = "eg25-control";
-      };
-      after = [ "ModemManager.service" ];
-      wants = [ "ModemManager.service" ];
-      # wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
-    };
-    systemd.services.eg25-control-gps = {
-      # TODO: separate almanac upload from GPS enablement
-      # - don't want to re-upload the almanac everytime the GPS is toggled
-      # - want to upload almanac even when GPS *isn't* enabled, if we have internet connection.
-      description = "background GPS tracking";
-      serviceConfig = {
-        Type = "simple";
-        RemainAfterExit = true;
-        ExecStart = "${cfg.package}/bin/eg25-control --enable-gps --dump-debug-info --verbose";
-        ExecStop = "${cfg.package}/bin/eg25-control --disable-gps --dump-debug-info --verbose";
-        Restart = "on-failure";
-        RestartSec = "60s";
-
-        User = "eg25-control";
-        WorkingDirectory = "/var/lib/eg25-control";
-        StateDirectory = "eg25-control";
-      };
-      after = [ "eg25-control-powered.service" ];
-      requires = [ "eg25-control-powered.service" ];
-      # wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
-    };
-
-    systemd.services.eg25-control-freshen-agps = {
-      description = "keep assisted-GPS data fresh";
-      serviceConfig = {
-        # XXX: this can have a race condition with eg25-control-gps
-        # - eg25-control-gps initiates DL of new/<agps>
-        # - eg25-control-gps tests new/<agps>: it works
-        # - eg25-control-freshen-agps initiates DL of new/<agps>
-        # - eg25-control-gps: moves new/<agps> into cache/
-        #   - but it moved the result (possibly incomplete) of eg25-control-freshen-agps, incorrectly
-        # in practice, i don't expect much issue from this.
-        ExecStart = "${cfg.package}/bin/eg25-control --ensure-agps-cache --verbose";
-        Restart = "no";
-
-        User = "eg25-control";
-        WorkingDirectory = "/var/lib/eg25-control";
-        StateDirectory = "eg25-control";
-      };
-      startAt = "hourly";  # this is a bit more than necessary, but idk systemd calendar syntax
-      after = [ "network-online.target" "nss-lookup.target" ];
-      requires = [ "network-online.target" ];
-      # wantedBy = [ "network-online.target" ]; # auto-start immediately after boot
-    };
-  };
-}
diff --git a/modules/users/default.nix b/modules/users/default.nix
index aae1d3aa..074031c8 100644
--- a/modules/users/default.nix
+++ b/modules/users/default.nix
@@ -49,6 +49,15 @@ let
           restart of the service (if applicable) is blocked on this command.
         '';
       };
+      startCommand = mkOption {
+        type = types.nullOr types.str;
+        default = null;
+        description = ''
+          command which is run to start the service.
+          this command is expected to exit once the service is up, contrary to the normal `command` argument.
+          mutually exclusive to `command`.
+        '';
+      };
       readiness.waitCommand = mkOption {
         type = types.nullOr (types.coercedTo types.package toString types.str);
         default = null;
diff --git a/modules/users/s6-rc.nix b/modules/users/s6-rc.nix
index aa22af64..bbff29de 100644
--- a/modules/users/s6-rc.nix
+++ b/modules/users/s6-rc.nix
@@ -62,10 +62,13 @@ let
   # }
   fsToDerivation = fs: fsItemToDerivation "/" { dir = fs; };
 
-  # infers the service type from the arguments and creates an attrset usable by `fsToDerivation`.
+  # infers some service settings from the arguments and creates an attrset usable by `fsToDerivation`.
   # also configures the service for logging, if applicable.
-  serviceToFs = { name, check, contents, depends, finish, run }: let
-    type = if run != null then "longrun" else "bundle";
+  # type can be:
+  # - "longrun"
+  # - "bundle"
+  # - "oneshot"?
+  serviceToFs = { name, check, contents, depends, finish, run, type }: let
     logger = serviceToFs' {
       name = "logger:${name}";
       consumerFor = name;
@@ -75,8 +78,8 @@ let
   in (serviceToFs' {
     inherit name check depends finish run type;
     contents = maybe (type == "bundle") contents;
-    producerFor = maybe (type == "longrun") "logger:${name}";
-  }) // (lib.optionalAttrs (type == "longrun") logger);
+    producerFor = maybe (type != "bundle") "logger:${name}";
+  }) // (lib.optionalAttrs (type != "bundle") logger);
 
   serviceToFs'= {
     name,
@@ -221,7 +224,7 @@ let
 
   # transform the `user.services` attrset into a s6 services list.
   s6SvcsFromConfigServices = services: lib.mapAttrsToList
-    (name: service: {
+    (name: service: rec {
       inherit name;
       check = service.readiness.waitCommand;
       contents = builtins.attrNames (
@@ -231,7 +234,13 @@ let
         lib.filterAttrs (_: cfg: lib.elem name cfg.dependencyOf) services
       );
       finish = service.cleanupCommand;
-      run = service.command;
+      inherit (if service.startCommand != null then
+          { type="oneshot"; run = service.startCommand; }
+        else if service.command != null then
+          { type="longshot"; run = service.command; }
+        else
+          { type="bundle"; run = null; }
+      ) type run;
     })
     services
   ;