diff --git a/nixos/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix b/nixos/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix
index cdba14be21f0..d283c7624335 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/services/networking/dhcpcd.nix
@@ -153,10 +153,14 @@ in
 
   config = mkIf enableDHCP {
 
-    systemd.services.dhcpcd =
+    systemd.services.dhcpcd = let
+      cfgN = config.networking;
+      hasDefaultGatewaySet = (cfgN.defaultGateway != null && cfgN.defaultGateway.address != "")
+                          || (cfgN.defaultGateway6 != null && cfgN.defaultGateway6.address != "");
+    in
       { description = "DHCP Client";
 
-        wantedBy = [ "network-online.target" ];
+        wantedBy = optional (!hasDefaultGatewaySet) "network-online.target";
         after = [ "network.target" ];
         wants = [ "network.target" ];
 
diff --git a/nixos/modules/tasks/network-interfaces-scripted.nix b/nixos/modules/tasks/network-interfaces-scripted.nix
index 15b36cfcb113..7ede8752bcc3 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/tasks/network-interfaces-scripted.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/tasks/network-interfaces-scripted.nix
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ let
           then [ "${dev}-netdev.service" ]
           else optional (dev != null && dev != "lo" && !config.boot.isContainer) (subsystemDevice dev);
 
+        hasDefaultGatewaySet = (cfg.defaultGateway != null && cfg.defaultGateway.address != "")
+                            || (cfg.defaultGateway6 != null && cfg.defaultGateway6.address != "");
+
         networkLocalCommands = {
           after = [ "network-setup.service" ];
           bindsTo = [ "network-setup.service" ];
@@ -85,7 +88,7 @@ let
             before = [ "network.target" "shutdown.target" ];
             wants = [ "network.target" ];
             conflicts = [ "shutdown.target" ];
-            wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
+            wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ] ++ optional hasDefaultGatewaySet "network-online.target";
 
             unitConfig.ConditionCapability = "CAP_NET_ADMIN";
 
diff --git a/nixos/tests/networking.nix b/nixos/tests/networking.nix
index 6a7e628d8ef1..7708775f73f3 100644
--- a/nixos/tests/networking.nix
+++ b/nixos/tests/networking.nix
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ let
           startAll;
 
           $client->waitForUnit("network.target");
-          $router->waitForUnit("network.target");
+          $router->waitForUnit("network-online.target");
 
           # Make sure dhcpcd is not started
           $client->fail("systemctl status dhcpcd.service");
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ let
           startAll;
 
           $client->waitForUnit("network.target");
-          $router->waitForUnit("network.target");
+          $router->waitForUnit("network-online.target");
 
           # Wait until we have an ip address on each interface
           $client->waitUntilSucceeds("ip addr show dev eth1 | grep -q '192.168.1'");