diff --git a/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup.yml b/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup.yml
index 4951ac2d7..083da8079 100644
--- a/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup.yml
+++ b/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 ---
-# a negative when condition will not actually prevent ansible from executing loops in imported tasks!
 
-- import_tasks: "{{ role_path }}/tasks/workers/setup_install.yml"
+- include_tasks: "{{ role_path }}/tasks/workers/setup_install.yml"
   when: "matrix_synapse_enabled|bool and matrix_synapse_workers_enabled|bool"
 
-- import_tasks: "{{ role_path }}/tasks/workers/setup_uninstall.yml"
+- include_tasks: "{{ role_path }}/tasks/workers/setup_uninstall.yml"
   when: "not matrix_synapse_workers_enabled|bool"
diff --git a/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup_install.yml b/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup_install.yml
index 44d59495a..3f1f8ac04 100644
--- a/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup_install.yml
+++ b/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup_install.yml
@@ -7,12 +7,11 @@
     mode: 0644
   register: matrix_synapse_worker_systemd_service_result
 
-- name: Ensure previous worker service symlinks are cleaned (FIXME)
+- name: Ensure previous worker service symlinks are cleaned
   file:
     path: "{{ item.root + '/' + item.path }}"
     state: absent
   when:
-    - matrix_synapse_workers_enabled|bool
     - item.state == 'link'
     - item.path is match('matrix-synapse-worker@.*\\.service')
   with_filetree:
@@ -28,6 +27,13 @@
     enabled: true
   with_items: "{{ matrix_synapse_workers_enabled_list }}"
 
+- name: Ensure previous worker configs are cleaned
+  file:
+    path: "{{ item }}"
+    state: absent
+  with_fileglob:
+    - "{{ matrix_synapse_config_dir_path }}/worker.*.yaml"
+
 - name: Ensure creation of specific worker configs
   template:
     src: "{{ role_path }}/templates/synapse/worker.yaml.j2"
@@ -46,3 +52,24 @@
     src: "{{ role_path }}/files/usr-local-bin/matrix-synapse-worker-write-pid"
     dest: "{{ matrix_local_bin_path }}/matrix-synapse-worker-write-pid"
     mode: 0750
+
+- name: Ensure jq is installed (Archlinux)
+  pacman:
+    name:
+      - jq
+    state: present
+  when: (ansible_distribution == 'Archlinux')
+
+- name: Ensure jq is installed (CentOS)
+  yum:
+    name:
+      - jq
+    state: present
+  when: (ansible_distribution == 'CentOS')
+
+- name: Ensure jq is installed (Debian)
+  apt:
+    name:
+      - jq
+    state: present
+  when: (ansible_os_family == 'Debian')
diff --git a/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup_uninstall.yml b/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup_uninstall.yml
index 0571114c5..58b647600 100644
--- a/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup_uninstall.yml
+++ b/roles/matrix-synapse/tasks/workers/setup_uninstall.yml
@@ -9,14 +9,11 @@
     state: stopped
   with_dict: "{{ ansible_facts.services|default({})|dict2items|selectattr('key', 'match', 'matrix-synapse-worker@.+\\.service')|list|items2dict }}"
 
-# As we cannot know the ports of workers removed from the enabled_list..
-# => .. just kill them all (FIXME?)
-- name: Ensure previous worker service symlinks are cleaned
+- name: Ensure worker service symlinks are cleaned
   file:
     path: "{{ item.root + '/' + item.path }}"
     state: absent
   when:
-    - not matrix_synapse_workers_enabled|bool
     - item.state == 'link'
     - item.path is match('matrix-synapse-worker@.*\\.service')
   with_filetree:
@@ -28,6 +25,13 @@
     state: absent
   register: matrix_synapse_worker_systemd_service_result
 
+- name: Ensure worker configs are cleaned
+  file:
+    path: "{{ item.root + '/' + item.path }}"
+    state: absent
+  with_fileglob:
+    - "{{ matrix_synapse_config_dir_path }}/worker.*.yaml"
+
 - name: Remove workers from synapse.wants list
   set_fact:
     matrix_synapse_systemd_wanted_services_list: "{{ matrix_synapse_systemd_wanted_services_list | reject('search', item) | list }}"
diff --git a/roles/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/systemd/matrix-synapse-worker@.service.j2 b/roles/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/systemd/matrix-synapse-worker@.service.j2
index 2c82873d9..983426bab 100644
--- a/roles/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/systemd/matrix-synapse-worker@.service.j2
+++ b/roles/matrix-synapse/templates/synapse/systemd/matrix-synapse-worker@.service.j2
@@ -11,21 +11,21 @@ BindsTo=matrix-synapse.service
 [Service]
 Type=simple
 
-# Intentional delay, so that the homeserver (we likely depend on) can manage to start.
-ExecStartPre=/bin/sleep 5
+# Intentional delay, so that the homeserver can manage to start.
+ExecStartPre={{ matrix_host_command_sleep }} 5
 
 # no sane way of instancing more than one variable (systemd "cant-fix" 🤦)
 # c.f. https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/14895#issuecomment-594123923
 # So use good ol' shell parameter expansion to get the worker type..
 ExecStart=/bin/sh -c "WORKER=%i; WORKER=$${WORKER%%:*}; \
-			exec /usr/bin/docker exec \
+			exec {{ matrix_host_command_docker }} exec \
 			--user={{ matrix_user_uid }}:{{ matrix_user_gid }} \
 			matrix-synapse \
 			python -m synapse.app.$${WORKER} -c /data/homeserver.yaml -c /data/worker.%i.yaml"
 
 # wait for worker startup & write out PID of actual worker process so systemd can handle it
-ExecStartPost=/bin/sleep 5
-ExecStartPost=/usr/local/bin/matrix-synapse-worker-write-pid %i /run/matrix-synapse-worker.%i.pid
+ExecStartPost={{ matrix_host_command_sleep }} 5
+ExecStartPost={{ matrix_local_bin_path }}/matrix-synapse-worker-write-pid %i /run/matrix-synapse-worker.%i.pid
 
 ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
 ExecStop=/bin/kill $MAINPID