diff --git a/templates/start_services.j2 b/templates/start_services.j2
index ff1a21d7a37323b160007efe8c1598e44c3b8af8..c1bac6c82247484dbfccae7c4e868ae9a0898cca 100644
--- a/templates/start_services.j2
+++ b/templates/start_services.j2
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # {{ ansible_managed }}
 
-{% for item in certbot_create_standalone_stop_services %}
-echo "starting service {{ item }}"
+echo "starting services {{ certbot_create_standalone_stop_services }}"
 {% if ansible_service_mgr == 'systemd' %}
-systemctl start {{ item }}
+systemctl start {{ certbot_create_standalone_stop_services }}
 {% elif ansible_service_mgr == 'upstart' %}
-initctl start {{ item }}
+initctl start {{ certbot_create_standalone_stop_services }}
 {% elif ansible_service_mgr == 'openrc' %}
-rc-service {{ item }} start
+rc-service {{ certbot_create_standalone_stop_services }} start
 {% else %}
-service {{ item }} start
+service {{ certbot_create_standalone_stop_services }} start
 {% endif %}
-{% endfor %}
diff --git a/templates/stop_services.j2 b/templates/stop_services.j2
index f087768d4ba7a81c9525cbdea3b48e3c95a85632..f536282255c04672fc56b260dea34f1df2d48f3b 100644
--- a/templates/stop_services.j2
+++ b/templates/stop_services.j2
@@ -1,15 +1,13 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 # {{ ansible_managed }}
 
-{% for item in certbot_create_standalone_stop_services %}
-echo "stopping service {{ item }}"
+echo "stopping services {{ certbot_create_standalone_stop_services }}"
 {% if ansible_service_mgr == 'systemd' %}
-systemctl stop {{ item }}
+systemctl stop {{ certbot_create_standalone_stop_services }}
 {% elif ansible_service_mgr == 'upstart' %}
-initctl stop {{ item }}
+initctl stop {{ certbot_create_standalone_stop_services }}
 {% elif ansible_service_mgr == 'openrc' %}
-rc-service {{ item }} stop
+rc-service {{ certbot_create_standalone_stop_services }} stop
 {% else %}
-service {{ item }} stop
+service {{ certbot_create_standalone_stop_services }} stop
 {% endif %}
-{% endfor %}