diff --git a/os/common/rootfs/app-compose.service b/os/common/rootfs/app-compose.service
index b3979e255..53e037a2f 100644
--- a/os/common/rootfs/app-compose.service
+++ b/os/common/rootfs/app-compose.service
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=App Compose Service
+# After= alone is satisfied by a failed unit; app must not run without these.
+Requires=dstack-prepare.service dstack-guest-agent.service
 Wants=docker.service containerd.service containerd-stargz-grpc.service
 After=docker.service containerd.service containerd-stargz-grpc.service dstack-prepare.service dstack-guest-agent.service