diff --git a/data/templates/dns-dynamic/ddclient.conf.j2 b/data/templates/dns-dynamic/ddclient.conf.j2
index 5538ea56c..23aad4cb8 100644
--- a/data/templates/dns-dynamic/ddclient.conf.j2
+++ b/data/templates/dns-dynamic/ddclient.conf.j2
@@ -1,59 +1,58 @@
 {% macro render_config(host, address, web_options, ip_suffixes=['']) %}
 {# Address: use=if, if=ethX, usev6=ifv6, ifv6=ethX, usev6=webv6, webv6=https://v6.example.com #}
 {% for ipv in ip_suffixes %}
 use{{ ipv }}={{ address if address == 'web' else 'if' }}{{ ipv }}, \
 {%     if address == 'web' %}
 {%         if web_options.url is vyos_defined %}
 web{{ ipv }}={{ web_options.url }}, \
 {%         endif %}
 {%         if web_options.skip is vyos_defined %}
 web{{ ipv }}-skip='{{ web_options.skip }}', \
 {%         endif %}
 {%     else %}
 if{{ ipv }}={{ address }}, \
 {%     endif %}
 {% endfor %}
 {# Other service options with special treatment for password #}
 {% for k,v in kwargs.items() if v is vyos_defined %}
 {{ k | replace('_', '-') }}={{ "'%s'" % (v) if k == 'password' else v }}{{ ',' if not loop.last }} \
 {% endfor %}
 {# Actual hostname for the service #}
 {{ host }}
 {% endmacro %}
 ### Autogenerated by service_dns_dynamic.py ###
 daemon={{ interval }}
 syslog=yes
 ssl=yes
-pid={{ config_file | replace('.conf', '.pid') }}
 cache={{ config_file | replace('.conf', '.cache') }}
 {# ddclient default (web=dyndns) doesn't support ssl and results in process lockup #}
 web=googledomains
 {# ddclient default (use=ip) results in confusing warning message in log #}
 use=no
 
 {% if name is vyos_defined %}
 {%     for service, config in name.items() %}
 {%         if config.description is vyos_defined %}
 
 # {{ config.description }}
 {%         endif %}
 {%         for host in config.host_name if config.host_name is vyos_defined %}
 {#             ip_suffixes can be either of ['v4'], ['v6'], ['v4', 'v6'] for all protocols except 'nsupdate'
                ip_suffixes must be [''] for nsupdate since it doesn't support usevX/wantipvX yet #}
 {%             set ip_suffixes = ['v4', 'v6'] if config.ip_version == 'both'
                                  else ([config.ip_version[2:]] if config.protocol != 'nsupdate'
                                        else ['']) %}
 {%             set password = config.key if config.protocol == 'nsupdate'
                               else config.password %}
 {%             set address = 'web' if config.address.web is vyos_defined
                               else config.address.interface %}
 {%             set web_options = config.address.web | default({}) %}
 
 # Web service dynamic DNS configuration for {{ service }}: [{{ config.protocol }}, {{ host }}]
 {{ render_config(host, address, web_options, ip_suffixes,
                  protocol=config.protocol, server=config.server, zone=config.zone,
                  login=config.username, password=password, ttl=config.ttl,
                  min_interval=config.wait_time, max_interval=config.expiry_time) }}
 {%         endfor %}
 {%     endfor %}
 {% endif %}
diff --git a/data/templates/dns-dynamic/override.conf.j2 b/data/templates/dns-dynamic/override.conf.j2
index 4a6851cef..c0edd8f05 100644
--- a/data/templates/dns-dynamic/override.conf.j2
+++ b/data/templates/dns-dynamic/override.conf.j2
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 {% set vrf_command = 'ip vrf exec ' ~ vrf ~ ' ' if vrf is vyos_defined else '' %}
 [Unit]
 ConditionPathExists={{ config_file }}
+Wants=
 After=vyos-router.service
 
 [Service]
-PIDFile={{ config_file | replace('.conf', '.pid') }}
 EnvironmentFile=
 ExecStart=
-ExecStart={{ vrf_command }}/usr/bin/ddclient -file {{ config_file }}
+ExecStart={{ vrf_command }}/usr/bin/ddclient --file {{ config_file }} --foreground
+Restart=always
diff --git a/smoketest/scripts/cli/test_service_dns_dynamic.py b/smoketest/scripts/cli/test_service_dns_dynamic.py
index e9fb4bf10..9fbc931de 100755
--- a/smoketest/scripts/cli/test_service_dns_dynamic.py
+++ b/smoketest/scripts/cli/test_service_dns_dynamic.py
@@ -1,350 +1,354 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 #
-# Copyright (C) 2019-2024 VyOS maintainers and contributors
+# Copyright (C) 2019-2025 VyOS maintainers and contributors
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 or later as
 # published by the Free Software Foundation.
 #
 # This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 # but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 # MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
 # GNU General Public License for more details.
 #
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 import unittest
 import tempfile
 
 from base_vyostest_shim import VyOSUnitTestSHIM
 
 from vyos.configsession import ConfigSessionError
 from vyos.utils.process import cmd
 from vyos.utils.process import process_named_running
 
 DDCLIENT_SYSTEMD_UNIT = '/run/systemd/system/ddclient.service.d/override.conf'
 DDCLIENT_CONF = '/run/ddclient/ddclient.conf'
 DDCLIENT_PNAME = 'ddclient'
 
 base_path = ['service', 'dns', 'dynamic']
 name_path = base_path + ['name']
 server = 'ddns.vyos.io'
 hostname = 'test.ddns.vyos.io'
 zone = 'vyos.io'
 username = 'vyos_user'
 password = 'paSS_@4ord'
 ttl = '300'
 interface = 'eth0'
 
 class TestServiceDDNS(VyOSUnitTestSHIM.TestCase):
-    def setUp(self):
-        # Always start with a clean CLI instance
-        self.cli_delete(base_path)
+    @classmethod
+    def setUpClass(cls):
+        super(TestServiceDDNS, cls).setUpClass()
+
+        # ensure we can also run this test on a live system - so lets clean
+        # out the current configuration :)
+        cls.cli_delete(cls, base_path)
 
     def tearDown(self):
         # Check for running process
         self.assertTrue(process_named_running(DDCLIENT_PNAME, timeout=10))
 
         # Delete DDNS configuration
         self.cli_delete(base_path)
         self.cli_commit()
 
         # Check for process not running anymore
         self.assertFalse(process_named_running(DDCLIENT_PNAME))
 
     # IPv4 standard DDNS service configuration
     def test_01_dyndns_service_standard(self):
         services = {'cloudflare': {'protocol': 'cloudflare'},
                     'freedns': {'protocol': 'freedns', 'username': username},
                     'zoneedit': {'protocol': 'zoneedit1', 'username': username}}
 
         for svc, details in services.items():
             self.cli_set(name_path + [svc, 'address', 'interface', interface])
             self.cli_set(name_path + [svc, 'host-name', hostname])
             self.cli_set(name_path + [svc, 'password', password])
             for opt, value in details.items():
                 self.cli_set(name_path + [svc, opt, value])
 
             # 'zone' option is supported by 'cloudfare' and 'zoneedit1', but not 'freedns'
             self.cli_set(name_path + [svc, 'zone', zone])
             if details['protocol'] in ['cloudflare', 'zoneedit1']:
                 pass
             else:
                 # exception is raised for unsupported ones
                 with self.assertRaises(ConfigSessionError):
                     self.cli_commit()
                 self.cli_delete(name_path + [svc, 'zone'])
 
             # 'ttl' option is supported by 'cloudfare', but not 'freedns' and 'zoneedit'
             self.cli_set(name_path + [svc, 'ttl', ttl])
             if details['protocol'] == 'cloudflare':
                 pass
             else:
                 # exception is raised for unsupported ones
                 with self.assertRaises(ConfigSessionError):
                     self.cli_commit()
                 self.cli_delete(name_path + [svc, 'ttl'])
 
             # commit changes
             self.cli_commit()
 
             # Check the generating config parameters
             ddclient_conf = cmd(f'sudo cat {DDCLIENT_CONF}')
             # default value 300 seconds
             self.assertIn(f'daemon=300', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'usev4=ifv4', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'ifv4={interface}', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'password=\'{password}\'', ddclient_conf)
 
             for opt in details.keys():
                 if opt == 'username':
                     login = details[opt]
                     self.assertIn(f'login={login}', ddclient_conf)
                 else:
                     tmp = details[opt]
                     self.assertIn(f'{opt}={tmp}', ddclient_conf)
 
     # IPv6 only DDNS service configuration
     def test_02_dyndns_service_ipv6(self):
         interval = '60'
         svc_path = name_path + ['dynv6']
         proto = 'dyndns2'
         ip_version = 'ipv6'
         wait_time = '600'
         expiry_time_good = '3600'
         expiry_time_bad = '360'
 
         self.cli_set(base_path + ['interval', interval])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['address', 'interface', interface])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['ip-version', ip_version])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['protocol', proto])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['server', server])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['username', username])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['password', password])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['host-name', hostname])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['wait-time', wait_time])
 
         # expiry-time must be greater than wait-time, exception is raised otherwise
         with self.assertRaises(ConfigSessionError):
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['expiry-time', expiry_time_bad])
             self.cli_commit()
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['expiry-time', expiry_time_good])
 
         # commit changes
         self.cli_commit()
 
         # Check the generating config parameters
         ddclient_conf = cmd(f'sudo cat {DDCLIENT_CONF}')
         self.assertIn(f'daemon={interval}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'usev6=ifv6', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'ifv6={interface}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'protocol={proto}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'server={server}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'login={username}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'password=\'{password}\'', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'min-interval={wait_time}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'max-interval={expiry_time_good}', ddclient_conf)
 
     # IPv4+IPv6 dual DDNS service configuration
     def test_03_dyndns_service_dual_stack(self):
         services = {'cloudflare': {'protocol': 'cloudflare', 'zone': zone},
                     'freedns': {'protocol': 'freedns', 'username': username},
                     'google': {'protocol': 'googledomains', 'username': username}}
         ip_version = 'both'
 
         for name, details in services.items():
             self.cli_set(name_path + [name, 'address', 'interface', interface])
             self.cli_set(name_path + [name, 'host-name', hostname])
             self.cli_set(name_path + [name, 'password', password])
             for opt, value in details.items():
                 self.cli_set(name_path + [name, opt, value])
 
             # Dual stack is supported by 'cloudfare' and 'freedns' but not 'googledomains'
             # exception is raised for unsupported ones
             self.cli_set(name_path + [name, 'ip-version', ip_version])
             if details['protocol'] not in ['cloudflare', 'freedns']:
                 with self.assertRaises(ConfigSessionError):
                     self.cli_commit()
                 self.cli_delete(name_path + [name, 'ip-version'])
 
             # commit changes
             self.cli_commit()
 
             # Check the generating config parameters
             ddclient_conf = cmd(f'sudo cat {DDCLIENT_CONF}')
             if details['protocol'] not in ['cloudflare', 'freedns']:
                 self.assertIn(f'usev4=ifv4', ddclient_conf)
                 self.assertIn(f'ifv4={interface}', ddclient_conf)
             else:
                 self.assertIn(f'usev4=ifv4', ddclient_conf)
                 self.assertIn(f'usev6=ifv6', ddclient_conf)
                 self.assertIn(f'ifv4={interface}', ddclient_conf)
                 self.assertIn(f'ifv6={interface}', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'password=\'{password}\'', ddclient_conf)
 
             for opt in details.keys():
                 if opt == 'username':
                     login = details[opt]
                     self.assertIn(f'login={login}', ddclient_conf)
                 else:
                     tmp = details[opt]
                     self.assertIn(f'{opt}={tmp}', ddclient_conf)
 
     def test_04_dyndns_rfc2136(self):
         # Check if DDNS service can be configured and runs
         svc_path = name_path + ['vyos']
         proto = 'nsupdate'
 
         with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(prefix='/config/auth/') as key_file:
             key_file.write(b'S3cretKey')
 
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['address', 'interface', interface])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['protocol', proto])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['server', server])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['zone', zone])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['key', key_file.name])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['ttl', ttl])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['host-name', hostname])
 
             # commit changes
             self.cli_commit()
 
             # Check some generating config parameters
             ddclient_conf = cmd(f'sudo cat {DDCLIENT_CONF}')
             self.assertIn(f'use=if', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'if={interface}', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'protocol={proto}', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'server={server}', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'zone={zone}', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'password=\'{key_file.name}\'', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'ttl={ttl}', ddclient_conf)
 
     def test_05_dyndns_hostname(self):
         # Check if DDNS service can be configured and runs
         svc_path = name_path + ['namecheap']
         proto = 'namecheap'
         hostnames = ['@', 'www', hostname, f'@.{hostname}']
 
         for name in hostnames:
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['address', 'interface', interface])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['protocol', proto])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['server', server])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['username', username])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['password', password])
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['host-name', name])
 
             # commit changes
             self.cli_commit()
 
             # Check the generating config parameters
             ddclient_conf = cmd(f'sudo cat {DDCLIENT_CONF}')
             self.assertIn(f'protocol={proto}', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'server={server}', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'login={username}', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'password=\'{password}\'', ddclient_conf)
             self.assertIn(f'{name}', ddclient_conf)
 
     def test_06_dyndns_web_options(self):
         # Check if DDNS service can be configured and runs
         svc_path = name_path + ['cloudflare']
         proto = 'cloudflare'
         web_url = 'https://ifconfig.me/ip'
         web_skip = 'Current IP Address:'
 
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['protocol', proto])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['zone', zone])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['password', password])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['host-name', hostname])
 
         # not specifying either 'interface' or 'web' will raise an exception
         with self.assertRaises(ConfigSessionError):
             self.cli_commit()
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['address', 'web'])
 
         # specifying both 'interface' and 'web' will raise an exception as well
         with self.assertRaises(ConfigSessionError):
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['address', 'interface', interface])
             self.cli_commit()
         self.cli_delete(svc_path + ['address', 'interface'])
         self.cli_commit()
 
         # web option 'skip' is useless without the option 'url'
         with self.assertRaises(ConfigSessionError):
             self.cli_set(svc_path + ['address', 'web', 'skip', web_skip])
             self.cli_commit()
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['address', 'web', 'url', web_url])
         self.cli_commit()
 
         # Check the generating config parameters
         ddclient_conf = cmd(f'sudo cat {DDCLIENT_CONF}')
         self.assertIn(f'usev4=webv4', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'webv4={web_url}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'webv4-skip=\'{web_skip}\'', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'protocol={proto}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'zone={zone}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'password=\'{password}\'', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'{hostname}', ddclient_conf)
 
     def test_07_dyndns_dynamic_interface(self):
         # Check if DDNS service can be configured and runs
         svc_path = name_path + ['namecheap']
         proto = 'namecheap'
         dyn_interface = 'pppoe587'
 
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['address', 'interface', dyn_interface])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['protocol', proto])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['server', server])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['username', username])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['password', password])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['host-name', hostname])
 
         # Dynamic interface will raise a warning but still go through
         # XXX: We should have idiomatic class "ConfigSessionWarning" wrapping
         #      "Warning" similar to "ConfigSessionError".
         # with self.assertWarns(Warning):
         #     self.cli_commit()
         self.cli_commit()
 
         # Check the generating config parameters
         ddclient_conf = cmd(f'sudo cat {DDCLIENT_CONF}')
         self.assertIn(f'ifv4={dyn_interface}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'protocol={proto}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'server={server}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'login={username}', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'password=\'{password}\'', ddclient_conf)
         self.assertIn(f'{hostname}', ddclient_conf)
 
     def test_08_dyndns_vrf(self):
         # Table number randomized, but should be within range 100-65535
         vrf_table = '58710'
         vrf_name = f'vyos-test-{vrf_table}'
         svc_path = name_path + ['cloudflare']
         proto = 'cloudflare'
 
         self.cli_set(['vrf', 'name', vrf_name, 'table', vrf_table])
         self.cli_set(base_path + ['vrf', vrf_name])
 
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['address', 'interface', interface])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['protocol', proto])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['host-name', hostname])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['zone', zone])
         self.cli_set(svc_path + ['password', password])
 
         # commit changes
         self.cli_commit()
 
         # Check for process in VRF
         systemd_override = cmd(f'cat {DDCLIENT_SYSTEMD_UNIT}')
-        self.assertIn(f'ExecStart=ip vrf exec {vrf_name} /usr/bin/ddclient -file {DDCLIENT_CONF}',
-                      systemd_override)
+        self.assertIn(f'ExecStart=ip vrf exec {vrf_name} /usr/bin/ddclient ' \
+                      f'--file {DDCLIENT_CONF} --foreground', systemd_override)
 
         # Check for process in VRF
         proc = cmd(f'ip vrf pids {vrf_name}')
         self.assertIn(DDCLIENT_PNAME, proc)
 
         # Cleanup VRF
         self.cli_delete(['vrf', 'name', vrf_name])
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main(verbosity=2)