diff --git a/debian/scripts/koha-create b/debian/scripts/koha-create
index 22961df400..69780f9006 100755
--- a/debian/scripts/koha-create
+++ b/debian/scripts/koha-create
@@ -908,26 +908,29 @@ then
     fi
     service apache2 restart
 
-    # Enable & start Zebra.
-    koha-zebra --enable "$name"
+    # Enable & start Zebra. The --enable calls are systemd-only no-ops on
+    # SysV and must not abort instance creation (the database and vhost
+    # already exist at this point), hence the || true.
+    koha-zebra --enable "$name" || true
     koha-zebra --start "$name"
 
     # Start workers
-    koha-worker --all-queues --enable "$name"
+    koha-worker --all-queues --enable "$name" || true
     koha-worker --all-queues --start "$name"
 
     if [ "$USE_INDEXER_DAEMON" = "yes" ]; then
         # Start Indexer daemon
-        koha-indexer --enable "$name"
+        koha-indexer --enable "$name" || true
         koha-indexer --start "$name"
     fi
 
-    # systemd-only: enable the per-instance target and the
-    # create-dirs oneshot so the instance comes back up on reboot.
+    # systemd-only: enable the per-instance target and the create-dirs
+    # oneshot so the instance comes back up on reboot, and start the
+    # target so the instance is fully up now.
     if [ "$(koha_init_backend)" = "systemd" ]; then
-        systemctl enable koha-create-dirs@${name}.service 2>/dev/null || true
-        systemctl enable koha@${name}.target               2>/dev/null || true
-        systemctl start  koha.target                       2>/dev/null || true
+        systemctl enable "koha-create-dirs@${name}.service" 2>/dev/null || true
+        systemctl enable "koha@${name}.target" 2>/dev/null || true
+        systemctl start "koha@${name}.target" 2>/dev/null || true
     fi
 
     if [ "$CLO_LETSENCRYPT" = "yes" ]; then
diff --git a/debian/scripts/koha-disable b/debian/scripts/koha-disable
index 64c9bb0074..ca78e4b919 100755
--- a/debian/scripts/koha-disable
+++ b/debian/scripts/koha-disable
@@ -63,28 +63,34 @@ do
         RET=$(disable_instance $name)
         if [ "$RET" = 0 ]; then
             restart_apache="yes"
+            # Stop the instance's daemons. Their configuration (SIP flag
+            # file, Plack in the Apache vhost, unit enablement) is left
+            # alone so that koha-enable brings back exactly what was
+            # running before.
             if is_sip_enabled $name; then
                 koha-sip --stop $name
-                koha-sip --disable $name
             fi
             if is_plack_running $name; then
                 koha-plack --stop $name
             fi
-            koha-plack --disable $name || true
             if is_zebra_running $name; then
                 koha-zebra --stop $name
             fi
-            koha-zebra --disable $name || true
             if is_indexer_running $name; then
                 koha-indexer --stop $name
             fi
-            koha-indexer --disable $name || true
             if is_es_indexer_running $name; then
                 koha-es-indexer --stop $name
             fi
-            koha-es-indexer --disable $name || true
             koha-worker --all-queues --stop $name || /bin/true
-            koha-worker --all-queues --disable $name || /bin/true
+
+            # Under systemd, keep the instance from coming back at boot:
+            # only the per-instance target is disabled, the individual
+            # units keep their enablement.
+            if [ "$(koha_init_backend)" = "systemd" ]; then
+                systemctl stop "koha@${name}.target" 2>/dev/null || true
+                systemctl disable "koha@${name}.target" 2>/dev/null || true
+            fi
         elif [ "$RET" = 2 ]; then
             warn "Error: Apache configuration file not present for instance $name."
         else
diff --git a/debian/scripts/koha-enable b/debian/scripts/koha-enable
index 4aef82849d..8dda6c2938 100755
--- a/debian/scripts/koha-enable
+++ b/debian/scripts/koha-enable
@@ -62,6 +62,14 @@ do
     if is_instance $name ; then
         if enable_instance $name; then
             restart_apache="yes"
+            # Under systemd, re-enable the per-instance target that
+            # koha-disable turned off and start the instance's units. (On
+            # SysV the daemons come back with the next koha-common restart,
+            # as before.)
+            if [ "$(koha_init_backend)" = "systemd" ]; then
+                systemctl enable "koha@${name}.target" 2>/dev/null || true
+                systemctl start "koha@${name}.target" 2>/dev/null || true
+            fi
         else
             warn "Instance $name already enabled."
         fi
diff --git a/debian/scripts/koha-remove b/debian/scripts/koha-remove
index 24426b5865..93eda68807 100755
--- a/debian/scripts/koha-remove
+++ b/debian/scripts/koha-remove
@@ -73,34 +73,31 @@ FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
 eof
     fi #`
 
-    # Stop the Zebra server if needed
+    # Stop the instance's daemons if needed, and disable them regardless:
+    # under systemd a stopped-but-enabled unit would otherwise leave its
+    # symlink behind in koha@<instance>.target.wants/.
     if is_zebra_running $name; then
         koha-zebra --stop $name || /bin/true
-        koha-zebra --disable $name || /bin/true
     fi
-    # Stop the indexer daemon if needed
+    koha-zebra --disable $name || /bin/true
     if is_indexer_running $name; then
         koha-indexer --stop $name || /bin/true
-        koha-indexer --disable $name || /bin/true
     fi
-    # Stop the worker daemons if needed
+    koha-indexer --disable $name || /bin/true
     koha-worker --all-queues --stop $name || /bin/true
     koha-worker --all-queues --disable $name || /bin/true
-    # Stop the Plack server if needed
     if is_plack_running $name; then
         koha-plack --stop $name || /bin/true
-        koha-plack --disable $name || /bin/true
     fi
-    # Stop the SIP server if needed
+    koha-plack --disable $name || /bin/true
     if is_sip_running $name; then
         koha-sip --stop $name || /bin/true
-        koha-sip --disable $name || /bin/true
     fi
-    # Stop the ES indexing daemon if needed
+    koha-sip --disable $name || /bin/true
     if is_es_indexer_running $name; then
         koha-es-indexer --stop $name || /bin/true
-        koha-es-indexer --disable $name || /bin/true
     fi
+    koha-es-indexer --disable $name || /bin/true
 
     # Under systemd, disable the per-instance target and create-dirs
     # oneshot so we don't leave dangling symlinks under