diff --git a/environment-setup/femtofox.chroot b/environment-setup/femtofox.chroot
index ebf59e2..4fde2e5 100644
--- a/environment-setup/femtofox.chroot
+++ b/environment-setup/femtofox.chroot
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ echo "femtofox" | tee /etc/hostname > /dev/null
 
 echo "Configuring autostart of systemd services..."
 systemctl enable button
-systemctl enable meshtasticd
 systemctl enable femto-runonce.service
 systemctl enable femto-usb-config-tool.service
 systemctl enable femto-boot-complete.service
 systemctl enable femto-wifi-mesh-control
 systemctl enable femto-watchclock-dog
 
+systemctl disable meshtasticd
 systemctl disable apt-daily.timer
 systemctl disable unattended-upgrades
 systemctl disable smbd nmbd # samba services, can be enabled via menu
diff --git a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/meshtasticd/config.d/femto_mac_address.yaml b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/meshtasticd/config.d/femto_mac_address.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1f2e8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/meshtasticd/config.d/femto_mac_address.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# this sets the mac address source to eth0, replacing the previous code that derived a seed from the CPU s/n.
+# of course, eth0 also has its mac address derived from CPU s/n, but this way meshtastic uses the exact mac address, instead of a bastardized version converted to a 9 digit int with `| bc | tail -c -9`.
+General:
+  MACAddressSource: eth0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/meshtasticd/config.yaml b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/meshtasticd/config.yaml.bak
similarity index 100%
rename from foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/meshtasticd/config.yaml
rename to foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/meshtasticd/config.yaml.bak
diff --git a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/femto-runonce.service b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/femto-runonce.service
index d5692f4..574335d 100644
--- a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/femto-runonce.service
+++ b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/femto-runonce.service
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=Foxbuntu First Boot
-After=meshtasticd.service
+After=rc-local.service
 Before=serial-getty@ttyFIQ0.service
 DefaultDependencies=no
 
diff --git a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/femto-usb-config-tool.service b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/femto-usb-config-tool.service
index 679b722..8f1c5dc 100644
--- a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/femto-usb-config-tool.service
+++ b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/femto-usb-config-tool.service
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=Foxbuntu USB Configuration Tool
-After=meshtasticd.service
+After=rc-local.service
 Before=serial-getty@ttyFIQ0.service
 DefaultDependencies=no
 
diff --git a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/meshtasticd.service.d/override.conf b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/meshtasticd.service.d/override.conf
index add99ee..2af10c1 100644
--- a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/meshtasticd.service.d/override.conf
+++ b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/etc/systemd/system/meshtasticd.service.d/override.conf
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 [Service]
-ExecStart=
-ExecStart=/bin/sh -c '/usr/sbin/meshtasticd -h $(sed -n "/Serial/ s/^.*: \\(.*\\)$/\\U\\1/p" /proc/cpuinfo | bc | tail -c 9)'
 Nice=-20
 
 [Unit]
diff --git a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/usr/local/bin/femto-kernel-modules.sh b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/usr/local/bin/femto-kernel-modules.sh
index 3ac19f4..fd3586a 100755
--- a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/usr/local/bin/femto-kernel-modules.sh
+++ b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/usr/local/bin/femto-kernel-modules.sh
@@ -108,4 +108,4 @@ Note: Dependencies are loaded/unloaded automatically." 0 0
   fi
 done
 
-exit 0
\ No newline at end of file
+exit 0
diff --git a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/usr/local/bin/femto-runonce.sh b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/usr/local/bin/femto-runonce.sh
index e3470cb..ccc6b41 100755
--- a/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/usr/local/bin/femto-runonce.sh
+++ b/foxbuntu/sysdrv/out/rootfs_uclibc_rv1106/usr/local/bin/femto-runonce.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Re-running this script will:\n\
 * Set the eth0 MAC to be derivative of CPU serial number\n\
 * Add terminal type to user femto's .bashrc\n\
 * Add a shortcut \`sfc\` to user femto's .bashrc\n\
+* Enable the meshtasticd service\n\
 \n\
 Finally, the Femtofox will reboot.\n\
 \n\
@@ -106,6 +107,9 @@ else
   log_message "\`alias sfc='sudo femto-config'\` already present in .bashrc, skipping"
 fi
 
+log_message "Enabling meshtasticd service"
+systemctl enable meshtasticd
+
 # remove first boot flag
 sed -i -E 's/^first_boot=.*/first_boot=false/' /etc/femto.conf
 log_message "Removing first boot flag and rebooting in 5 seconds..."