diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4f5cc4b..c685f16 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ flags:
 
 - `-a|--alias "BLUE_DATABASE"`: an alternative alias to use for linking to an app via environment variable
 - `-q|--querystring "pool=5"`: ampersand delimited querystring arguments to append to the service link
+- `-n|--no-restart "false"`: whether or not to restart the app on link (default: true)
 
 A nats service can be linked to a container. This will use native docker links via the docker-options plugin. Here we link it to our `playground` app.
 
@@ -211,7 +212,7 @@ DOKKU_NATS_LOLLIPOP_PORT_4222_TCP_ADDR=172.17.0.1
 The following will be set on the linked application by default:
 
 ```
-NATS_URL=nats://lollipop:SOME_PASSWORD@dokku-nats-lollipop:4222
+NATS_URL=nats://lollipop:SOME_PASSWORD@dokku-nats-lollipop:4222/lollipop
 ```
 
 The host exposed here only works internally in docker containers. If you want your container to be reachable from outside, you should use the `expose` subcommand. Another service can be linked to your app:
@@ -230,7 +231,7 @@ dokku nats:link lollipop playground
 This will cause `NATS_URL` to be set as:
 
 ```
-nats2://lollipop:SOME_PASSWORD@dokku-nats-lollipop:4222
+nats2://lollipop:SOME_PASSWORD@dokku-nats-lollipop:4222/lollipop
 ```
 
 ### unlink the nats service from the app
@@ -240,6 +241,10 @@ nats2://lollipop:SOME_PASSWORD@dokku-nats-lollipop:4222
 dokku nats:unlink <service> <app>
 ```
 
+flags:
+
+- `-n|--no-restart "false"`: whether or not to restart the app on unlink (default: true)
+
 You can unlink a nats service:
 
 > NOTE: this will restart your app and unset related environment variables
@@ -426,7 +431,7 @@ flags:
 - `-I|--image-version IMAGE_VERSION`: the image version to start the service with
 - `-N|--initial-network INITIAL_NETWORK`: the initial network to attach the service to
 - `-P|--post-create-network NETWORKS`: a comman-separated list of networks to attach the service container to after service creation
-- `-R|--restart-apps "true"`: whether to force an app restart
+- `-R|--restart-apps "true"`: whether or not to force an app restart (default: false)
 - `-S|--post-start-network NETWORKS`: a comman-separated list of networks to attach the service container to after service start
 - `-s|--shm-size SHM_SIZE`: override shared memory size for nats docker container
 
diff --git a/common-functions b/common-functions
index 10a4677..0b3b952 100755
--- a/common-functions
+++ b/common-functions
@@ -631,8 +631,9 @@ service_link() {
   fi
   [[ -n "$SERVICE_QUERYSTRING" ]] && SERVICE_URL="${SERVICE_URL}?${SERVICE_QUERYSTRING}"
   plugn trigger service-action post-link "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX" "$SERVICE" "$APP"
-  if [[ "$DOKKU_GLOBAL_FLAGS" == *"--no-restart"* ]]; then
+  if [[ "$DOKKU_GLOBAL_FLAGS" == *"--no-restart"* ]] || [[ "$SERVICE_RESTART_APPS" == "false" ]]; then
     config_set --no-restart "$APP" "${ALIAS}_URL=$SERVICE_URL"
+    dokku_log_verbose "Skipping restart of linked app"
   else
     config_set "$APP" "${ALIAS}_URL=$SERVICE_URL"
   fi
@@ -714,6 +715,7 @@ service_parse_args() {
       "--initial-network") set -- "$@" "-N" ;;
       "--image") set -- "$@" "-i" ;;
       "--memory") set -- "$@" "-m" ;;
+      "--no-restart") set -- "$@" "-n" ;;
       "--password") set -- "$@" "-p" ;;
       "--post-create-network") set -- "$@" "-P" ;;
       "--post-start-network") set -- "$@" "-S" ;;
@@ -727,7 +729,7 @@ service_parse_args() {
   done
 
   OPTIND=1
-  while getopts "a:c:C:d:i:I:m:n:N:p:P:q:R:r:s:S:u:" opt; do
+  while getopts "na:c:C:d:i:I:m:n:N:p:P:q:R:r:s:S:u:" opt; do
     case "$opt" in
       a)
         SERVICE_ALIAS="${OPTARG^^}"
@@ -751,6 +753,9 @@ service_parse_args() {
       m)
         export SERVICE_MEMORY=$OPTARG
         ;;
+      n)
+        export SERVICE_RESTART_APPS=false
+        ;;
       N)
         export SERVICE_INITIAL_NETWORK=$OPTARG
         ;;
@@ -971,8 +976,9 @@ service_unlink() {
 
   [[ -z ${LINK[*]} ]] && dokku_log_fail "Not linked to app $APP"
   plugn trigger service-action post-unlink "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX" "$SERVICE" "$APP"
-  if [[ "$DOKKU_GLOBAL_FLAGS" == *"--no-restart"* ]]; then
+  if [[ "$DOKKU_GLOBAL_FLAGS" == *"--no-restart"* ]] || [[ "$SERVICE_RESTART_APPS" == "false" ]]; then
     config_unset --no-restart "$APP" "${LINK[@]}"
+    dokku_log_verbose "Skipping restart of linked app"
   else
     config_unset "$APP" "${LINK[@]}"
   fi
diff --git a/subcommands/link b/subcommands/link
index a8a65a7..3d8e153 100755
--- a/subcommands/link
+++ b/subcommands/link
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ service-link-cmd() {
   #E
   #E the following will be set on the linked application by default:
   #E
-  #E     ${PLUGIN_DEFAULT_ALIAS}_URL=${PLUGIN_SCHEME}://lollipop:SOME_PASSWORD@dokku-${PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX}-lollipop:${PLUGIN_DATASTORE_PORTS[0]}
+  #E     ${PLUGIN_DEFAULT_ALIAS}_URL=${PLUGIN_SCHEME}://lollipop:SOME_PASSWORD@dokku-${PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX}-lollipop:${PLUGIN_DATASTORE_PORTS[0]}/lollipop
   #E
   #E the host exposed here only works internally in docker containers.
   #E if you want your container to be reachable from outside, you should
@@ -37,11 +37,12 @@ service-link-cmd() {
   #E dokku $PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link lollipop playground
   #E this will cause ${PLUGIN_DEFAULT_ALIAS}_URL to be set as:
   #E
-  #E     ${PLUGIN_SCHEME}2://lollipop:SOME_PASSWORD@dokku-${PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX}-lollipop:${PLUGIN_DATASTORE_PORTS[0]}
+  #E     ${PLUGIN_SCHEME}2://lollipop:SOME_PASSWORD@dokku-${PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX}-lollipop:${PLUGIN_DATASTORE_PORTS[0]}/lollipop
   #A service, service to run command against
   #A app, app to run command against
   #F -a|--alias "BLUE_DATABASE", an alternative alias to use for linking to an app via environment variable
   #F -q|--querystring "pool=5", ampersand delimited querystring arguments to append to the service link
+  #F -n|--no-restart "false", whether or not to restart the app on link (default: true)
   declare desc="link the $PLUGIN_SERVICE service to the app"
   local cmd="$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" argv=("$@")
   [[ ${argv[0]} == "$cmd" ]] && shift 1
diff --git a/subcommands/unlink b/subcommands/unlink
index 7819079..63c4c97 100755
--- a/subcommands/unlink
+++ b/subcommands/unlink
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ service-unlink-cmd() {
   #E dokku $PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink lollipop playground
   #A service, service to run command against
   #A app, app to run command against
+  #F -n|--no-restart "false", whether or not to restart the app on unlink (default: true)
   declare desc="unlink the $PLUGIN_SERVICE service from the app"
   local cmd="$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" argv=("$@")
   [[ ${argv[0]} == "$cmd" ]] && shift 1
diff --git a/subcommands/upgrade b/subcommands/upgrade
index 898b268..93352c1 100755
--- a/subcommands/upgrade
+++ b/subcommands/upgrade
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ service-upgrade-cmd() {
   #F -I|--image-version IMAGE_VERSION, the image version to start the service with
   #F -N|--initial-network INITIAL_NETWORK, the initial network to attach the service to
   #F -P|--post-create-network NETWORKS, a comman-separated list of networks to attach the service container to after service creation
-  #F -R|--restart-apps "true", whether to force an app restart
+  #F -R|--restart-apps "true", whether or not to force an app restart (default: false)
   #F -S|--post-start-network NETWORKS, a comman-separated list of networks to attach the service container to after service start
   #F -s|--shm-size SHM_SIZE, override shared memory size for $PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX docker container
   declare desc="upgrade service <service> to the specified versions"
diff --git a/tests/service_link.bats b/tests/service_link.bats
index e6d1948..9af808a 100755
--- a/tests/service_link.bats
+++ b/tests/service_link.bats
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@
 load test_helper
 
 setup() {
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:create" l
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:create" m
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:create" ls
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:create" ms
   dokku apps:create my-app
 }
 
 teardown() {
-  dokku --force "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:destroy" m
-  dokku --force "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:destroy" l
+  dokku --force "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:destroy" ms
+  dokku --force "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:destroy" ls
   dokku --force apps:destroy my-app
 }
 
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ teardown() {
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link) error when the app argument is missing" {
-  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
   assert_contains "${lines[*]}" "Please specify an app to run the command on"
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ teardown() {
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link) error when the app does not exist" {
-  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l not_existing_app
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls not_existing_app
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
   assert_contains "${lines[*]}" "App not_existing_app does not exist"
@@ -46,73 +46,97 @@ teardown() {
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link) error when the service is already linked to app" {
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l my-app
-  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
   assert_contains "${lines[*]}" "Already linked as NATS_URL"
   assert_failure
 
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link) exports NATS_URL to app" {
-  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l my-app
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app
   echo "output: $output"
   echo "status: $status"
   url=$(dokku config:get my-app NATS_URL)
-  password="$(sudo cat "$PLUGIN_DATA_ROOT/l/PASSWORD")"
-  assert_contains "$url" "nats://l:$password@dokku-nats-l:4222"
+  password="$(sudo cat "$PLUGIN_DATA_ROOT/ls/PASSWORD")"
+  assert_contains "$url" "nats://ls:$password@dokku-nats-ls:4222"
   assert_success
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link) generates an alternate config url when NATS_URL already in use" {
   dokku config:set my-app NATS_URL=nats://host:4222
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app
   run dokku config my-app
   assert_contains "${lines[*]}" "DOKKU_NATS_AQUA_URL"
   assert_success
 
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" m my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ms my-app
   run dokku config my-app
   assert_contains "${lines[*]}" "DOKKU_NATS_BLACK_URL"
   assert_success
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" m my-app
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ms my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link) links to app with docker-options" {
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app
   run dokku docker-options:report my-app
-  assert_contains "${lines[*]}" "--link dokku.nats.l:dokku-nats-l"
+  assert_contains "${lines[*]}" "--link dokku.nats.ls:dokku-nats-ls"
   assert_success
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link) uses apps NATS_DATABASE_SCHEME variable" {
   dokku config:set my-app NATS_DATABASE_SCHEME=nats
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app
   url=$(dokku config:get my-app NATS_URL)
-  password="$(sudo cat "$PLUGIN_DATA_ROOT/l/PASSWORD")"
-  assert_contains "$url" "nats://l:$password@dokku-nats-l:4222"
+  password="$(sudo cat "$PLUGIN_DATA_ROOT/ls/PASSWORD")"
+  assert_contains "$url" "nats://ls:$password@dokku-nats-ls:4222"
   assert_success
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link) adds a querystring" {
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l my-app --querystring "pool=5"
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app --querystring "pool=5"
   url=$(dokku config:get my-app NATS_URL)
   assert_contains "$url" "?pool=5"
   assert_success
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link) uses a specified config url when alias is specified" {
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l my-app --alias "ALIAS"
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app --alias "ALIAS"
   url=$(dokku config:get my-app ALIAS_URL)
-  password="$(sudo cat "$PLUGIN_DATA_ROOT/l/PASSWORD")"
-  assert_contains "$url" "nats://l:$password@dokku-nats-l:4222"
+  password="$(sudo cat "$PLUGIN_DATA_ROOT/ls/PASSWORD")"
+  assert_contains "$url" "nats://ls:$password@dokku-nats-ls:4222"
+  assert_success
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
+}
+
+@test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link) respects --no-restart" {
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_output_contains "Skipping restart of linked app" 0
+  assert_success
+
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_success
+
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app --no-restart
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_output_contains "Skipping restart of linked app"
+  assert_success
+
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
   assert_success
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l my-app
 }
diff --git a/tests/service_unlink.bats b/tests/service_unlink.bats
index 1f83885..f5327d7 100755
--- a/tests/service_unlink.bats
+++ b/tests/service_unlink.bats
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ load test_helper
 
 setup() {
   dokku apps:create my-app
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:create" l
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:create" ls
 }
 
 teardown() {
-  dokku --force "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:destroy" l
+  dokku --force "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:destroy" ls
   dokku --force apps:destroy my-app
 }
 
@@ -17,12 +17,12 @@ teardown() {
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink) error when the app argument is missing" {
-  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls
   assert_contains "${lines[*]}" "Please specify an app to run the command on"
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink) error when the app does not exist" {
-  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l not_existing_app
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls not_existing_app
   assert_contains "${lines[*]}" "App not_existing_app does not exist"
 }
 
@@ -32,13 +32,13 @@ teardown() {
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink) error when service not linked to app" {
-  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l my-app
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
   assert_contains "${lines[*]}" "Not linked to app my-app"
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink) removes link from docker-options" {
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l my-app >&2
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app >&2
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
 
   check_value="Docker options build: Docker options deploy: --restart=on-failure:10 Docker options run:"
   options=$(dokku --quiet docker-options:report my-app | xargs)
@@ -46,8 +46,32 @@ teardown() {
 }
 
 @test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink) unsets config url from app" {
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" l my-app >&2
-  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" l my-app
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app >&2
+  dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
   config=$(dokku config:get my-app NATS_URL || true)
   assert_equal "$config" ""
 }
+
+@test "($PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink) respects --no-restart" {
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_success
+
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_output_contains "Skipping restart of linked app" 0
+  assert_success
+
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:link" ls my-app
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_success
+
+  run dokku "$PLUGIN_COMMAND_PREFIX:unlink" ls my-app --no-restart
+  echo "output: $output"
+  echo "status: $status"
+  assert_output_contains "Skipping restart of linked app"
+  assert_success
+}