diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/misc/gitlab.nix b/nixos/modules/services/misc/gitlab.nix
index 6756d59cf367..ec347a75f063 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/misc/gitlab.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/misc/gitlab.nix
@@ -1386,10 +1386,8 @@ in {
 
     systemd.services.gitlab-db-config = {
       after = [ "gitlab-config.service" "gitlab-postgresql.service" "postgresql.service" ];
-      bindsTo = [
-        "gitlab-config.service"
-      ] ++ optional (cfg.databaseHost == "") "postgresql.service"
-        ++ optional databaseActuallyCreateLocally "gitlab-postgresql.service";
+      wants = optional (cfg.databaseHost == "") "postgresql.service" ++ optional databaseActuallyCreateLocally "gitlab-postgresql.service";
+      bindsTo = [ "gitlab-config.service" ];
       wantedBy = [ "gitlab.target" ];
       partOf = [ "gitlab.target" ];
       serviceConfig = {
@@ -1422,10 +1420,10 @@ in {
         "gitlab-db-config.service"
       ];
       bindsTo = [
-        "redis-gitlab.service"
         "gitlab-config.service"
         "gitlab-db-config.service"
-      ] ++ optional (cfg.databaseHost == "") "postgresql.service";
+      ];
+      wants = [ "redis-gitlab.service" ] ++ optional (cfg.databaseHost == "") "postgresql.service";
       wantedBy = [ "gitlab.target" ];
       partOf = [ "gitlab.target" ];
       environment = gitlabEnv // (optionalAttrs cfg.sidekiq.memoryKiller.enable {
@@ -1612,10 +1610,10 @@ in {
         "gitlab-db-config.service"
       ];
       bindsTo = [
-        "redis-gitlab.service"
         "gitlab-config.service"
         "gitlab-db-config.service"
-      ] ++ optional (cfg.databaseHost == "") "postgresql.service";
+      ];
+      wants = [ "redis-gitlab.service" ] ++ optional (cfg.databaseHost == "") "postgresql.service";
       requiredBy = [ "gitlab.target" ];
       partOf = [ "gitlab.target" ];
       environment = gitlabEnv;
diff --git a/nixos/tests/gitlab.nix b/nixos/tests/gitlab.nix
index 8d3126425311..c4d69a56c93a 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/gitlab.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/gitlab.nix
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ in {
       gitlab.systemctl("start gitlab-backup.service")
       gitlab.wait_for_unit("gitlab-backup.service")
       gitlab.wait_for_file("${nodes.gitlab.services.gitlab.statePath}/backup/dump_gitlab_backup.tar")
-      gitlab.systemctl("stop postgresql.service gitlab.target")
+      gitlab.systemctl("stop postgresql.service gitlab-config.service gitlab.target")
       gitlab.succeed(
           "find ${nodes.gitlab.services.gitlab.statePath} -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -not -name backup -execdir rm -r {} +"
       )