diff --git a/bundles/gitea/items.py b/bundles/gitea/items.py
index 3819d77..416406a 100644
--- a/bundles/gitea/items.py
+++ b/bundles/gitea/items.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ downloads['/usr/local/bin/gitea'] = {
     'url': f'https://dl.gitea.io/gitea/{version}/gitea-{version}-linux-amd64',
     'sha256': node.metadata.get('gitea/sha256'),
     'triggers': {
-        'svc_systemd:gitea:restart',
+        'svc_systemd:gitea.service:restart',
     },
     'preceded_by': {
         'action:stop_gitea',
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ directories['/var/lib/gitea'] = {
     'owner': 'git',
     'mode': '0700',
     'triggers': {
-        'svc_systemd:gitea:restart',
+        'svc_systemd:gitea.service:restart',
     },
 }
 
@@ -40,6 +40,6 @@ files['/etc/gitea/app.ini'] = {
     'owner': 'git',
     'context': node.metadata['gitea'],
     'triggers': {
-        'svc_systemd:gitea:restart',
+        'svc_systemd:gitea.service:restart',
     },
 }
diff --git a/bundles/gitea/metadata.py b/bundles/gitea/metadata.py
index fcfad64..fd4c123 100644
--- a/bundles/gitea/metadata.py
+++ b/bundles/gitea/metadata.py
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ defaults = {
         },
     },
     'systemd': {
-        'services': {
-            'gitea': {
+        'units': {
+            'gitea.service': {
                 'content': {
                     'Unit': {
                         'Description': 'gitea',
@@ -51,12 +51,13 @@ defaults = {
                         'WantedBy': 'multi-user.target',
                     },
                 },
-                'needs': [
-                    'action:chmod_gitea',
-                    'download:/usr/local/bin/gitea',
-                    'file:/etc/systemd/system/gitea.service',
-                    'file:/etc/gitea/app.ini',
-                ],
+                'item': {
+                    'needs': [
+                        'action:chmod_gitea',
+                        'download:/usr/local/bin/gitea',
+                        'file:/etc/gitea/app.ini',
+                    ],
+                },
             },
         },
     },
diff --git a/bundles/network/metadata.py b/bundles/network/metadata.py
index bd97df3..c579ad8 100644
--- a/bundles/network/metadata.py
+++ b/bundles/network/metadata.py
@@ -7,31 +7,33 @@ defaults = {
 
 
 @metadata_reactor.provides(
-    'systemd-networkd/networks',
+    'systemd/units',
 )
-def systemd_networkd(metadata):
+def units(metadata):
     units = {}
     
     for type, network in metadata.get('network').items():
-        units[type] = {
-            'Match': {
-                'Name': network['interface'],
-            },
-            'Network': {
-                'DHCP': 'no',
-                'IPv6AcceptRA': 'no',
+        units[f'{type}.network'] = {
+            'content': {
+                'Match': {
+                    'Name': network['interface'],
+                },
+                'Network': {
+                    'DHCP': 'no',
+                    'IPv6AcceptRA': 'no',
+                }
             }
         }
         
         for i in [4, 6]:
             if network.get(f'ipv{i}', None):
-                units[type].update({
+                units[f'{type}.network']['content'].update({
                     f'Address#ipv{i}': {
                         'Address': network[f'ipv{i}'],
                     },
                 })
                 if f'gateway{i}' in network:
-                    units[type].update({
+                    units[f'{type}.network']['content'].update({
                         f'Route#ipv{i}': {
                             'Gateway': network[f'gateway{i}'],
                             'GatewayOnlink': 'yes',
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ def systemd_networkd(metadata):
 
     
     return {
-        'systemd-networkd': {
-            'networks': units,
+        'systemd': {
+            'units': units,
         }
     }
diff --git a/bundles/systemd-networkd/items.py b/bundles/systemd-networkd/items.py
index dc804dd..89f1dc1 100644
--- a/bundles/systemd-networkd/items.py
+++ b/bundles/systemd-networkd/items.py
@@ -16,21 +16,21 @@ directories = {
     },
 }
 
-for type, path in {
-    'networks': '/etc/systemd/network/{}.network',
-    'netdevs': '/etc/systemd/network/{}.netdev',
-}.items():
-    for name, config in node.metadata.get(f'systemd-networkd/{type}').items():
-        files[path.format(name)] = {
-            'content': repo.libs.systemd.generate_unitfile(config),
-            'needed_by': {
-                'svc_systemd:systemd-networkd',
-            },
-            'triggers': {
-                'svc_systemd:systemd-networkd:restart',
-            },
-        }
-
+# for type, path in {
+#     'networks': '/etc/systemd/network/{}.network',
+#     'netdevs': '/etc/systemd/network/{}.netdev',
+# }.items():
+#     for name, config in node.metadata.get(f'systemd-networkd/{type}').items():
+#         files[path.format(name)] = {
+#             'content': repo.libs.systemd.generate_unitfile(config),
+#             'needed_by': {
+#                 'svc_systemd:systemd-networkd',
+#             },
+#             'triggers': {
+#                 'svc_systemd:systemd-networkd:restart',
+#             },
+#         }
+# 
 svc_systemd = {
     'systemd-networkd': {},
 }
diff --git a/bundles/systemd-timers/items.py b/bundles/systemd-timers/items.py
index 1c050e9..8ea5f8c 100644
--- a/bundles/systemd-timers/items.py
+++ b/bundles/systemd-timers/items.py
@@ -1,26 +1,27 @@
-# svc_systemd['cron'] = {
-#     'enabled': False,
-# }
-
-for name, config in node.metadata.get('systemd-timers').items():
-    files[f'/etc/systemd/system/{name}.timer'] = {
-        'content': repo.libs.systemd.generate_unitfile({
-            'Unit':{
-                'Description': f'{name} timer',
-            },
-            'Timer': {
-                'OnCalendar': config['when'],
-                'Persistent': config.get('persistent', False),
-                'Unit': f'{name}.service',
-            },
-            'Install': {
-                'WantedBy': 'multi-user.target',
-            }
-        }),
-        'triggers': [
-            'action:systemd-reload',
-            f'svc_systemd:{name}:restart',
-        ],
-    }
-    
-    svc_systemd[f'{name}.timer'] = {}
+# # svc_systemd['cron'] = {
+# #     'enabled': False,
+# # }
+# 
+# for name, config in node.metadata.get('systemd-timers').items():
+#     files[f'/etc/systemd/system/{name}.timer'] = {
+#         'content': repo.libs.systemd.generate_unitfile({
+#             'Unit':{
+#                 'Description': f'{name} timer',
+#             },
+#             'Timer': {
+#                 'OnCalendar': config['when'],
+#                 'Persistent': config.get('persistent', False),
+#                 'Unit': f'{name}.service',
+#             },
+#             'Install': {
+#                 'WantedBy': 'multi-user.target',
+#             }
+#         }),
+#         'triggers': [
+#             'action:systemd-reload',
+#             f'svc_systemd:{name}:restart',
+#         ],
+#     }
+# 
+#     svc_systemd[f'{name}.timer'] = {}
+# #
diff --git a/bundles/systemd-timers/metadata.py b/bundles/systemd-timers/metadata.py
index 6102abf..1ef111a 100644
--- a/bundles/systemd-timers/metadata.py
+++ b/bundles/systemd-timers/metadata.py
@@ -3,14 +3,41 @@ defaults = {
 }
 
 
+@metadata_reactor.provides(
+    'systemd/services',
+)
+def timers(metadata):
+    return {
+        'systemd': {
+            'units': {
+                f'{name}.timer': {
+                    'content': {
+                        'Unit':{
+                            'Description': f'{name} timer',
+                        },
+                        'Timer': {
+                            'OnCalendar': config['when'],
+                            'Persistent': config.get('persistent', False),
+                            'Unit': f'{name}.service',
+                        },
+                        'Install': {
+                            'WantedBy': 'multi-user.target',
+                        }
+                    },
+                } for name, config in metadata.get('systemd-timers').items()
+            },
+        },
+    }
+
+
 @metadata_reactor.provides(
     'systemd/services',
 )
 def services(metadata):
     return {
         'systemd': {
-            'services': {
-                name: {
+            'units': {
+                f'{name}.service': {
                     'content': {
                         'Unit':{
                             'Description': f'{name} timer service',
@@ -19,9 +46,11 @@ def services(metadata):
                             'ExecStart': config['command'],
                         },
                     },
-                    'enabled': False,
-                    'running': False,
-                } for name, config in metadata.get('systemd-timers').items() 
+                    'item': {
+                        'enabled': False,
+                        'running': False,
+                    },
+                } for name, config in metadata.get('systemd-timers').items()
             },
         },
     }
diff --git a/bundles/systemd/README.md b/bundles/systemd/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3adb596
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bundles/systemd/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# SYSTEMD
+
+## metadata
+
+```python
+{
+    'systemd': {
+        'units': {
+            'test.service': {
+                # optional: will be derived from unit extension
+                'path': '/etc/systemd/system/test.service',
+                # content of the unit file
+                'content': {
+                },
+                # bw item data
+                # applies to unitfile and svc_systemd aswell, if present
+                'item': {
+                },
+            }
+        }
+    },
+}
+```
diff --git a/bundles/systemd/items.py b/bundles/systemd/items.py
index 78380c5..28f4401 100644
--- a/bundles/systemd/items.py
+++ b/bundles/systemd/items.py
@@ -6,39 +6,18 @@ actions = {
         'command': 'systemctl daemon-reload',
         'cascade_skip': False,
         'triggered': True,
-        'needed_by': {
-            'svc_systemd:',
-        },
     }, 
 }
 
-for name, service in node.metadata.get('systemd/services').items():
-    # dont call a service 'service' explicitly
-    if name.endswith('.service'):
-        raise Exception(name)
-
-    # split unit file content data from item data
-    content_data = service.pop('content')
-
-    # default WantedBy=multi-user.target
-    content_data\
-        .setdefault('Install', {})\
-        .setdefault('WantedBy', {'multi-user.target'})
-
-    # create unit file
-    unit_path = f'/etc/systemd/system/{name}.service'
-    files[unit_path] = {
-        'content': repo.libs.systemd.generate_unitfile(content_data),
-        'triggers': [
-            'action:systemd-reload',
-            f'svc_systemd:{name}:restart',
-        ],
+for name, config in node.metadata.get('systemd/units').items():
+    files[config['path']] = {
+        'content': repo.libs.systemd.generate_unitfile(config['content']),
+        **config['item'],
     }
+    files[config['path']].setdefault('triggers', []).append("action:systemd-reload")
 
-    # service depends on unit file
-    service\
-        .setdefault('needs', [])\
-        .append(f'file:{unit_path}')
-
-    # service
-    svc_systemd[name] = service
+for name, config in node.metadata.get('systemd/services').items():
+    svc_systemd[name] = {
+        **config,
+    }
+    svc_systemd[name].setdefault('needs', []).append("action:systemd-reload")
diff --git a/bundles/systemd/metadata.py b/bundles/systemd/metadata.py
index 883127b..9e7d128 100644
--- a/bundles/systemd/metadata.py
+++ b/bundles/systemd/metadata.py
@@ -1,5 +1,65 @@
 defaults = {
     'systemd': {
+        'units': {},
         'services': {},
     }
 }
+
+
+# create a svc_sytemd item for each .service and .timer unit
+@metadata_reactor#.provides(
+#    'systemd/services',
+#)
+def unit_services(metadata):
+    services = {}
+    
+    for name, config in metadata.get('systemd/units').items():
+        if name.split('.')[-1] not in ['timer', 'service']:
+            continue
+        
+        services[name] = config['item']
+        services[name].setdefault('needs', []).append(f"file:{config.get('path')}")
+
+    return {
+        'systemd': {
+            'services': services,
+        }
+    }
+
+
+# add defaults to units
+@metadata_reactor#.provides(
+#    'systemd/units',
+#)
+def unit_defaults(metadata):
+    units = {}
+    
+    for name in metadata.get('systemd/units').keys():
+        extension = name.split('.')[-1]
+
+        if extension in ['netdev', 'network']:
+            units[name] = {
+                'path': f'/etc/systemd/network/{name}',
+                'item': {
+                    'triggers': [
+                        'svc_systemd:systemd-networkd:restart',
+                    ]
+                }
+            }
+        elif extension in ['timer', 'service']:
+            units[name] = {
+                'path': f'/etc/systemd/system/{name}',
+                'item': {
+                    'triggers': [
+                        f'svc_systemd:{name}:restart',
+                    ]
+                },
+            }
+        else:
+            raise Exception(f'unknown unit extension: "{extension}"')
+
+    return {
+        'systemd': {
+            'units': units,
+        }
+    }
diff --git a/bundles/wireguard/metadata.py b/bundles/wireguard/metadata.py
index 13cd9e3..2c8c9ef 100644
--- a/bundles/wireguard/metadata.py
+++ b/bundles/wireguard/metadata.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ defaults = {
 
 
 @metadata_reactor.provides(
-    'systemd-networkd/networks',
+    'systemd/units',
 )
 def systemd_networkd_networks(metadata):
     network = {
@@ -60,16 +60,18 @@ def systemd_networkd_networks(metadata):
             })
 
     return {
-        'systemd-networkd': {
-            'networks': {
-                'wireguard': network,
+        'systemd': {
+            'units': {
+                'wireguard.network': {
+                    'content': network,
+                },
             },
         },
     }
 
 
 @metadata_reactor.provides(
-    'systemd-networkd/netdevs',
+    'systemd/units',
 )
 def systemd_networkd_netdevs(metadata):
     netdev = {
@@ -99,9 +101,11 @@ def systemd_networkd_netdevs(metadata):
         })
     
     return {
-        'systemd-networkd': {
-            'netdevs': {
-                'wireguard': netdev,
+        'systemd': {
+            'units': {
+                'wireguard.netdev': {
+                    'content': netdev,
+                },
             },
         },
     }