diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/logging/logrotate.nix b/nixos/modules/services/logging/logrotate.nix
index 77e4fc395981..082cf92ff4ef 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/logging/logrotate.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/logging/logrotate.nix
@@ -167,7 +167,6 @@ in
 
     systemd.services.logrotate = {
       description = "Logrotate Service";
-      wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
       startAt = "hourly";
 
       serviceConfig = {
diff --git a/nixos/tests/logrotate.nix b/nixos/tests/logrotate.nix
index 0f6b59f071d4..0dee5d4502d9 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/logrotate.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/logrotate.nix
@@ -15,19 +15,20 @@ import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, ...} : rec {
       with subtest("whether logrotate works"):
           machine.succeed(
               # we must rotate once first to create logrotate stamp
-              "systemctl start --wait logrotate.service",
+              "systemctl start logrotate.service")
+          # we need to wait for console text once here to
+          # clear console buffer up to this point for next wait
+          machine.wait_for_console_text('logrotate.service: Deactivated successfully')
 
+          machine.succeed(
               # wtmp is present in default config.
               "rm -f /var/log/wtmp*",
               "echo test > /var/log/wtmp",
 
-              # move into the future and rotate
-              "date -s 'now + 1 month + 1 day'",
-              # systemd will run logrotate from logrotate.timer automatically
-              # on date change, but if we want to wait for it to terminate
-              # it's easier to run again...
-              "systemctl start --wait logrotate.service",
-
+              # move into the future and check rotation.
+              "date -s 'now + 1 month + 1 day'")
+          machine.wait_for_console_text('logrotate.service: Deactivated successfully')
+          machine.succeed(
               # check rotate worked
               "[ -e /var/log/wtmp.1 ]",
           )