diff --git a/files/build_templates/init_cfg.json.j2 b/files/build_templates/init_cfg.json.j2
index 334593a9d3cc..6db4fa8893d1 100644
--- a/files/build_templates/init_cfg.json.j2
+++ b/files/build_templates/init_cfg.json.j2
@@ -17,26 +17,28 @@
 {% endfor %}
         }
     },
-{%- set features = [("bgp", "enabled", "enabled"),
-                   ("database", "enabled", "disabled"),
-                   ("dhcp_relay", "enabled", "enabled"),
-                   ("lldp", "enabled", "enabled"),
-                   ("pmon", "enabled", "enabled"),
-                   ("radv", "enabled", "enabled"),
-                   ("snmp", "enabled", "enabled"),
-                   ("swss", "enabled", "enabled"),
-                   ("syncd", "enabled", "enabled"),
-                   ("teamd", "enabled", "enabled")] %}
-{%- if include_iccpd == "y" %}{% do features.append(("iccpd", "disabled", "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
-{%- if include_mgmt_framework == "y" %}{% do features.append(("mgmt-framework", "enabled", "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
-{%- if include_nat == "y" %}{% do features.append(("nat", "disabled", "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
-{%- if include_restapi == "y" %}{% do features.append(("restapi", "enabled", "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
-{%- if include_sflow == "y" %}{% do features.append(("sflow", "disabled", "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
-{%- if include_system_telemetry == "y" %}{% do features.append(("telemetry", "enabled", "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
+{%- set features = [("bgp", "enabled", false, "enabled"),
+                   ("database", "enabled", false, "disabled"),
+                   ("dhcp_relay", "enabled", false, "enabled"),
+                   ("lldp", "enabled", false, "enabled"),
+                   ("pmon", "enabled", false, "enabled"),
+                   ("radv", "enabled", false, "enabled"),
+                   ("snmp", "enabled", true, "enabled"),
+                   ("swss", "enabled", false, "enabled"),
+                   ("syncd", "enabled", false, "enabled"),
+                   ("teamd", "enabled", false, "enabled")] %}
+{%- if include_iccpd == "y" %}{% do features.append(("iccpd", "disabled", false, "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
+{%- if include_mgmt_framework == "y" %}{% do features.append(("mgmt-framework", "enabled", false, "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
+{%- if include_nat == "y" %}{% do features.append(("nat", "disabled", false, "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
+{%- if include_restapi == "y" %}{% do features.append(("restapi", "enabled", false, "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
+{%- if include_sflow == "y" %}{% do features.append(("sflow", "disabled", false, "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
+{%- if include_system_telemetry == "y" %}{% do features.append(("telemetry", "enabled", true, "enabled")) %}{% endif %}
     "FEATURE": {
-{%- for feature, state, autorestart in features %}
+{# has_timer field if set, will start the feature systemd .timer unit instead of .service unit #}
+{%- for feature, state, has_timer, autorestart in features %}
         "{{feature}}": {
             "state": "{{state}}",
+            "has_timer" : {{has_timer | lower()}},
             "auto_restart": "{{autorestart}}",
             "high_mem_alert": "disabled"
         }{% if not loop.last %},{% endif -%}
diff --git a/files/image_config/hostcfgd/hostcfgd b/files/image_config/hostcfgd/hostcfgd
index 3a895a729b19..2817e37a8f4c 100755
--- a/files/image_config/hostcfgd/hostcfgd
+++ b/files/image_config/hostcfgd/hostcfgd
@@ -41,12 +41,13 @@ def obfuscate(data):
         return data
 
 
-def update_feature_state(feature_name, state):
+def update_feature_state(feature_name, state, has_timer=False):
+    feature_suffix = "timer" if has_timer else "service"
     if state == "enabled":
         start_cmds = []
-        start_cmds.append("sudo systemctl unmask {}.service".format(feature_name))
-        start_cmds.append("sudo systemctl enable {}.service".format(feature_name))
-        start_cmds.append("sudo systemctl start {}.service".format(feature_name))
+        start_cmds.append("sudo systemctl unmask {}.{}".format(feature_name, feature_suffix))
+        start_cmds.append("sudo systemctl enable {}.{}".format(feature_name, feature_suffix))
+        start_cmds.append("sudo systemctl start {}.{}".format(feature_name, feature_suffix))
         for cmd in start_cmds:
             syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_INFO, "Running cmd: '{}'".format(cmd))
             try:
@@ -55,12 +56,12 @@ def update_feature_state(feature_name, state):
                 syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_ERR, "'{}' failed. RC: {}, output: {}"
                               .format(err.cmd, err.returncode, err.output))
                 continue
-        syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_INFO, "Feature '{}' is enabled and started".format(feature_name))
+        syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_INFO, "Feature '{}.{}' is enabled and started".format(feature_name, feature_suffix))
     elif state == "disabled":
         stop_cmds = []
-        stop_cmds.append("sudo systemctl stop {}.service".format(feature_name))
-        stop_cmds.append("sudo systemctl disable {}.service".format(feature_name))
-        stop_cmds.append("sudo systemctl mask {}.service".format(feature_name))
+        stop_cmds.append("sudo systemctl stop {}.{}".format(feature_name, feature_suffix))
+        stop_cmds.append("sudo systemctl disable {}.{}".format(feature_name, feature_suffix))
+        stop_cmds.append("sudo systemctl mask {}.{}".format(feature_name, feature_suffix))
         for cmd in stop_cmds:
             syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_INFO, "Running cmd: '{}'".format(cmd))
             try:
@@ -71,7 +72,8 @@ def update_feature_state(feature_name, state):
                 continue
         syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_INFO, "Feature '{}' is stopped and disabled".format(feature_name))
     else:
-        syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_ERR, "Unexpected state value '{}' for feature '{}'".format(state, feature_name))
+        syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_ERR, "Unexpected state value '{}' for feature '{}.{}'"
+                      .format(state, feature_name, feature_suffix))
 
 
 class Iptables(object):
@@ -284,7 +286,7 @@ class HostConfigDaemon:
                 syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_WARNING, "Eanble state of feature '{}' is None".format(feature_name))
                 continue
 
-            update_feature_state(feature_name, state)
+            update_feature_state(feature_name, state, feature_table[feature_name]['has_timer'])
 
     def aaa_handler(self, key, data):
         self.aaacfg.aaa_update(key, data)
@@ -326,7 +328,7 @@ class HostConfigDaemon:
             syslog.syslog(syslog.LOG_WARNING, "Enable state of feature '{}' is None".format(feature_name))
             return
 
-        update_feature_state(feature_name, state)
+        update_feature_state(feature_name, state, feature_table[feature_name]['has_timer'])
 
     def start(self):
         # Update all feature states once upon starting