diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
index 074cec1..7176667 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy.yml
@@ -196,20 +196,28 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Start tailscaled daemon
         run: |
-          mkdir -p /var/run/tailscale
-          mkdir -p /var/lib/tailscale
-          nohup tailscaled \
-            --socket=/var/run/tailscale/tailscaled.sock \
-            --state=/var/lib/tailscale/tailscaled.state \
-            >/tmp/tailscaled.log 2>&1 &
-          for i in $(seq 1 20); do
-            tailscale --socket=/var/run/tailscale/tailscaled.sock status >/dev/null 2>&1 && break
+          set -e
+          if command -v systemctl >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            systemctl enable --now tailscaled || true
+          fi
+          if ! pgrep -x tailscaled >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            service tailscaled start || true
+          fi
+          if ! pgrep -x tailscaled >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            mkdir -p /var/run/tailscale /var/lib/tailscale
+            nohup tailscaled --state=/var/lib/tailscale/tailscaled.state >/tmp/tailscaled.log 2>&1 &
+          fi
+          for i in $(seq 1 30); do
+            tailscale status >/dev/null 2>&1 && exit 0
             sleep 1
           done
+          echo "tailscaled failed to start"
+          if [ -f /tmp/tailscaled.log ]; then cat /tmp/tailscaled.log; fi
+          exit 1
 
       - name: Connect runner to tailnet
         run: |
-          tailscale --socket=/var/run/tailscale/tailscaled.sock up \
+          tailscale up \
             --authkey "${{ secrets.TAILSCALE_CI_AUTH_KEY }}" \
             --hostname "gitea-runner-${{ github.run_number }}" \
             --ssh=false \
@@ -217,8 +225,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Verify runner tailnet status
         run: |
-          tailscale --socket=/var/run/tailscale/tailscaled.sock status
-          tailscale --socket=/var/run/tailscale/tailscaled.sock ip -4
+          tailscale status
+          tailscale ip -4
 
       - name: Install Ansible Collections
         run: ansible-galaxy collection install -r ansible/requirements.yml