diff --git a/internal/bootstrap/adopted.go b/internal/bootstrap/adopted.go
index 2a1ee1b..ed7207c 100644
--- a/internal/bootstrap/adopted.go
+++ b/internal/bootstrap/adopted.go
@@ -87,8 +87,11 @@ func guardResources(ports []int) []map[string]any {
 	return []map[string]any{
 		{"id": guardID, "type": "file", "path": guardPath, "content": AsGuard(ports), "mode": "0644"},
 		{"id": guardUnitID, "type": "file", "path": guardUnitPath, "content": guardUnitText(), "mode": "0644"},
+		// A changed table is reloaded — the unit's ExecReload loads it in one transaction, so the
+		// ports are never unguarded — and only a changed unit restarts it. As the controller
+		// declares it, so the first push finds nothing different.
 		{"id": guardRunningID, "type": "service", "unit": guardUnit, "state": "running",
-			"boot": "enabled", "restart-on": []any{guardID, guardUnitID}},
+			"boot": "enabled", "reload-on": []any{guardID}, "restart-on": []any{guardUnitID}},
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/bootstrap/adopted_test.go b/internal/bootstrap/adopted_test.go
index cbe3a98..f52e0e1 100644
--- a/internal/bootstrap/adopted_test.go
+++ b/internal/bootstrap/adopted_test.go
@@ -121,7 +121,10 @@ func TestAnAdoptedBundleLoadsNoDroppingTableAndExactlyTheGuard(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("nft, which loads the guard, is no longer installed")
 	}
 	unit := r.Declaration.Resources[at[guardRunningID]].(*declaration.Service)
-	if unit.Unit != guardUnit || unit.State != "running" || strings.Join(unit.RestartOn, ",") != guardID+","+guardUnitID {
+	// A changed table is reloaded, never restarted: a restart deletes the table before loading
+	// it again, leaving the ports unguarded in between.
+	if unit.Unit != guardUnit || unit.State != "running" || strings.Join(unit.RestartOn, ",") != guardUnitID ||
+		strings.Join(unit.ReloadOn, ",") != guardID {
 		t.Errorf("the guard's service: %+v", unit)
 	}
 	stop := r.Declaration.Resources[at[guardUnitID]].(*declaration.File).Content