diff --git a/xCAT-server/share/xcat/scripts/xcatd-init-compat b/xCAT-server/share/xcat/scripts/xcatd-init-compat
index 1a42c8b18..a1001068b 100755
--- a/xCAT-server/share/xcat/scripts/xcatd-init-compat
+++ b/xCAT-server/share/xcat/scripts/xcatd-init-compat
@@ -270,7 +270,10 @@ unregister_legacy_init()
 
 disable_systemd_init()
 {
-    if [ -z "$compat_root" ] && command -v systemctl >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    disable_mode=${1:-host-tools}
+
+    if [ "$disable_mode" != links-only ] &&
+       [ -z "$compat_root" ] && command -v systemctl >/dev/null 2>&1; then
         systemctl disable xcatd.service >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
     fi
 
@@ -414,7 +417,14 @@ case "${1:-}" in
         unregister_legacy_init
         ;;
     disable-systemd)
-        disable_systemd_init
+        case "${2:-}" in
+            '') disable_systemd_init ;;
+            --links-only) disable_systemd_init links-only ;;
+            *)
+                echo "Usage: $0 disable-systemd [--links-only]" >&2
+                exit 2
+                ;;
+        esac
         ;;
     unregister-all)
         unregister_all_init
@@ -430,7 +440,7 @@ case "${1:-}" in
         remove_managed_legacy_init
         ;;
     *)
-        echo "Usage: $0 {uses-systemd [--explicit-target]|legacy-state|legacy-transition-state|systemd-state|register-legacy {enabled|disabled}|unregister-legacy|disable-systemd|unregister-all|configure [--replace] [--explicit-target] [--track-managed]|remove|remove-managed}" >&2
+        echo "Usage: $0 {uses-systemd [--explicit-target]|legacy-state|legacy-transition-state|systemd-state|register-legacy {enabled|disabled}|unregister-legacy|disable-systemd [--links-only]|unregister-all|configure [--replace] [--explicit-target] [--track-managed]|remove|remove-managed}" >&2
         exit 2
         ;;
 esac
diff --git a/xCAT-server/xCAT-server.spec b/xCAT-server/xCAT-server.spec
index 7cdf422e5..11e688a25 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/xCAT-server.spec
+++ b/xCAT-server/xCAT-server.spec
@@ -521,7 +521,8 @@ if [ "$1" = "1" ]; then #Only if installing for the first time..
        legacy_xcatd_state=$("$xcatd_init_compat" legacy-state)
        case "$legacy_xcatd_state" in
            enabled|disabled)
-               "$xcatd_init_compat" register-legacy "$legacy_xcatd_state"
+               # Preserve any pre-existing administrator runlevel layout.
+               :
                ;;
            *)
                if [ "$("$xcatd_init_compat" systemd-state)" != masked ]; then
@@ -552,8 +553,9 @@ if [ "$1" -gt "1" ]; then #only on upgrade...
         systemctl enable xcatd.service
     fi
   else
+    legacy_xcatd_registration=$("$xcatd_init_compat" legacy-state)
     legacy_xcatd_state=$("$xcatd_init_compat" legacy-transition-state)
-    "$xcatd_init_compat" disable-systemd
+    "$xcatd_init_compat" disable-systemd --links-only
 
     # systemctl may delegate to systemd-sysv-install and recreate K links for
     # a pre-existing SysV script.  Restore the captured unregistered or masked
@@ -570,7 +572,9 @@ if [ "$1" -gt "1" ]; then #only on upgrade...
 
     case "$legacy_xcatd_state" in
         enabled|disabled)
-            "$xcatd_init_compat" register-legacy "$legacy_xcatd_state"
+            if [ "$legacy_xcatd_registration" = unregistered ]; then
+                "$xcatd_init_compat" register-legacy "$legacy_xcatd_state"
+            fi
             ;;
         masked|unregistered)
             ;;