diff --git a/roles/matrix-bot-maubot/tasks/setup_install.yml b/roles/matrix-bot-maubot/tasks/setup_install.yml
index 6d9aec87e..de47ecd4e 100644
--- a/roles/matrix-bot-maubot/tasks/setup_install.yml
+++ b/roles/matrix-bot-maubot/tasks/setup_install.yml
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@
   with_items:
     - {path: "{{ matrix_bot_maubot_base_path }}", when: true}
     - {path: "{{ matrix_bot_maubot_data_path }}", when: true}
+    - {path: "{{ matrix_bot_maubot_data_path }}/plugins", when: true }
+    - {path: "{{ matrix_bot_maubot_data_path }}/dbs", when: true }
+    - {path: "{{ matrix_bot_maubot_data_path }}/trash", when: true }
     - {path: "{{ matrix_bot_maubot_docker_src_files_path }}", when: "{{ matrix_bot_maubot_container_image_self_build }}"}
   when: "item.when|bool"
 
diff --git a/roles/matrix-bot-maubot/templates/systemd/matrix-bot-maubot.service.j2 b/roles/matrix-bot-maubot/templates/systemd/matrix-bot-maubot.service.j2
index df66d321d..cde18e4dc 100644
--- a/roles/matrix-bot-maubot/templates/systemd/matrix-bot-maubot.service.j2
+++ b/roles/matrix-bot-maubot/templates/systemd/matrix-bot-maubot.service.j2
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ ExecStart={{ matrix_host_command_docker }} run --rm --name matrix-bot-maubot \
             {% if matrix_bot_maubot_expose_management_interface|bool %}
             -p {{ matrix_bot_maubot_port }}:29316 \
             {% endif %}
-            {{ matrix_bot_maubot_docker_image }}
+            {{ matrix_bot_maubot_docker_image }} \
+            python3 -m maubot -c /data/config.yaml
 
 ExecStop=-{{ matrix_host_command_sh }} -c '{{ matrix_host_command_docker }} kill matrix-bot-maubot 2>/dev/null || true'
 ExecStop=-{{ matrix_host_command_sh }} -c '{{ matrix_host_command_docker }} rm matrix-bot-maubot 2>/dev/null || true'