diff --git a/src/scripts/starttask.sh b/src/scripts/starttask.sh
index 587c74e0c..4c8712b27 100755
--- a/src/scripts/starttask.sh
+++ b/src/scripts/starttask.sh
@@ -28,24 +28,35 @@ readonly service_name="cloudron-task-${task_id}"
 systemctl reset-failed "${service_name}" || true
 
 readonly id=$(id -u $SUDO_USER)
-
 readonly ubuntu_version=$(lsb_release -rs)
+
 if [[ "${ubuntu_version}" == "16.04" ]]; then
-    memory_limit="-p MemoryLimit=400M"
+    options="-p MemoryLimit=400M --remain-after-exit"
 else
-    memory_limit="-p MemoryMax=400M"
+    options="-p MemoryMax=400M --pipe --wait"
+
+    # Note: BindsTo will kill this task when the box is stopped. but will not kill this task when restarted!
+    # For this reason, we have code to kill the tasks both on shutdown and startup.
+    # BindsTo does not work on ubuntu 16, this means that even if box is stopped, the tasks keep running
+    [[ "$BOX_ENV" == "cloudron" ]] && options="${options} -p BindsTo=box.service"
 fi
 
-# Note: BindsTo will kill this task when the box is stopped. but will not kill this task when restarted!
-# For this reason, we have code to kill the tasks both on shutdown and startup
-if [[ "$BOX_ENV" == "cloudron" ]]; then
-    binds_to="-p BindsTo=box.service"
-else
-    binds_to=""
-fi
-
-# DEBUG has to be hardcoded because it is not set in the tests
-systemd-run --unit "${service_name}" --pipe --wait --nice "${nice}" --uid=${id} --gid=${id} ${binds_to} ${memory_limit} \
-    -E HOME=${HOME} -E USER=${SUDO_USER} -E DEBUG=box:* -E BOX_ENV=${BOX_ENV} -E NODE_ENV=production \
+# DEBUG has to be hardcoded because it is not set in the tests. --setenv is required for ubuntu 16 (-E does not work)
+systemd-run --unit "${service_name}" --nice "${nice}" --uid=${id} --gid=${id} ${options} \
+    --setenv HOME=${HOME} --setenv USER=${SUDO_USER} --setenv DEBUG=box:* --setenv BOX_ENV=${BOX_ENV} --setenv NODE_ENV=production \
     "${task_worker}" "${task_id}" "${logfile}"
+exit_code=$?
 
+if [[ "${ubuntu_version}" == "16.04" ]]; then
+    sleep 3
+    # we cannot use systemctl is-active because unit is always active until stopped with RemainAfterExit
+    while [[ "$(systemctl show -p SubState ${service_name})" == *"running"* ]]; do
+        echo "Waiting for service ${service_name} to finish"
+        sleep 3
+    done
+    exit_code=$(systemctl show "${service_name}" -p ExecMainStatus | sed 's/ExecMainStatus=//g')
+    systemctl stop "${service_name}" || true # because of remain-after-exit we have to deactivate the service
+fi
+
+echo "Service ${service_name} finished with exit code ${exit_code}"
+exit "${exit_code}"
diff --git a/src/scripts/stoptask.sh b/src/scripts/stoptask.sh
index c4efecfc8..4fb985b57 100755
--- a/src/scripts/stoptask.sh
+++ b/src/scripts/stoptask.sh
@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ if [[ "${task_id}" == "all" ]]; then
     systemctl list-units --full --no-legend cloudron-task-* # just to show who was running
     systemctl kill --signal=SIGTERM cloudron-task-* || true
     systemctl reset-failed cloudron-task-* || true
+    systemctl stop cloudron-task-* || true # because of remain-after-exit in Ubuntu 16 we have to deactivate the service
 else
     readonly service_name="cloudron-task-${task_id}"
     systemctl kill --signal=SIGTERM "${service_name}" || true
+    systemctl stop "${service_name}" || true # because of remain-after-exit in Ubuntu 16 we have to deactivate the service
 fi