diff --git a/_podman-common/20_enable_pod.sh b/_podman-common/20_enable_pod.sh
index 6cb5560..df13d09 100755
--- a/_podman-common/20_enable_pod.sh
+++ b/_podman-common/20_enable_pod.sh
@@ -7,13 +7,14 @@ source ${ABSDIR}/vars.sh
 ensure_pwd_is_scriptdir
 ensure_not_root
 
+# pod should exist
 ensure_pod_exists ${pod_name}
+# pod should NOT be running. Installation script must have stopped it.
+ensure_pod_not_running ${pod_name}
 
 ensure_systemd_as_user_dir_exists
 
-# pod must be running and not managed by systemd
 podman generate systemd --files --name ${pod_name}
 mv *.service ~/.config/systemd/user/
 
-podman pod stop ${pod_name}
 systemctl --user enable ${service_name}