diff --git a/core/container.go b/core/container.go
index 38d2142c45f..d757ec96cfc 100644
--- a/core/container.go
+++ b/core/container.go
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ type Container struct {
 	// (Internal-only for now) Environment variables from the engine container, prefixed
 	// with a special value, that will be inherited by this container if set.
 	SystemEnvNames []string `json:"system_envs,omitempty"`
+
+	// default args set via withDefaultArgs.
+	DefaultArgs []string `json:"defaultArgs,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (*Container) Type() *ast.Type {
@@ -1710,13 +1713,24 @@ func (container *Container) AsServiceLegacy(ctx context.Context) (*Service, erro
 }
 
 func (container *Container) AsService(ctx context.Context, args ContainerAsServiceArgs) (*Service, error) {
-	var cmdargs = container.Config.Cmd
+	if len(args.Args) == 0 && !args.UseEntrypoint && len(container.DefaultArgs) == 0 {
+		return nil, ErrNoSvcCommand
+	}
+
+	cmdArgs := []string{}
+	if args.UseEntrypoint {
+		cmdArgs = container.Config.Cmd
+	}
+
+	if len(container.DefaultArgs) > 0 {
+		cmdArgs = container.DefaultArgs
+	}
 	if len(args.Args) > 0 {
-		cmdargs = args.Args
+		cmdArgs = args.Args
 	}
 
 	container, err := container.WithExec(ctx, ContainerExecOpts{
-		Args:                          cmdargs,
+		Args:                          cmdArgs,
 		UseEntrypoint:                 args.UseEntrypoint,
 		ExperimentalPrivilegedNesting: args.ExperimentalPrivilegedNesting,
 		InsecureRootCapabilities:      args.InsecureRootCapabilities,
diff --git a/core/container_exec.go b/core/container_exec.go
index 76ea6e39e35..37853550d45 100644
--- a/core/container_exec.go
+++ b/core/container_exec.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 var ErrNoCommand = errors.New("no command has been set")
+var ErrNoSvcCommand = errors.New("no service command has been set")
 
 type ContainerExecOpts struct {
 	// Command to run instead of the container's default command
diff --git a/core/integration/git_test.go b/core/integration/git_test.go
index f20b5df21a3..77ddd7ed0da 100644
--- a/core/integration/git_test.go
+++ b/core/integration/git_test.go
@@ -438,6 +438,7 @@ func (GitSuite) TestServiceStableDigest(ctx context.Context, t *testctx.T) {
 			WithMountedDirectory("/repo", c.Git(url, dagger.GitOpts{
 				ExperimentalServiceHost: svc,
 			}).Branch("main").Tree()).
+			WithDefaultArgs([]string{"/bin/sh"}).
 			AsService().
 			Hostname(ctx)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/core/integration/http_test.go b/core/integration/http_test.go
index 059da287e63..0c352c78eb3 100644
--- a/core/integration/http_test.go
+++ b/core/integration/http_test.go
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ func (HTTPSuite) TestHTTPServiceStableDigest(ctx context.Context, t *testctx.T)
 			WithMountedFile("/index.html", c.HTTP(url, dagger.HTTPOpts{
 				ExperimentalServiceHost: svc,
 			})).
+			WithDefaultArgs([]string{"/bin/sh"}).
 			AsService().
 			Hostname(ctx)
 		require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/core/integration/module_test.go b/core/integration/module_test.go
index 0ed6c9c4aef..3c62488453d 100644
--- a/core/integration/module_test.go
+++ b/core/integration/module_test.go
@@ -3677,7 +3677,8 @@ func (m *Test) Fn(ctx context.Context) *dagger.Container {
 	redis := dag.Container().
 		From("redis").
 		WithExposedPort(6379).
-		AsService()
+		AsService(dagger.ContainerAsServiceOpts{UseEntrypoint: true})
+
 	cli := dag.Container().
 		From("redis").
 		WithoutEntrypoint().
diff --git a/core/integration/services_test.go b/core/integration/services_test.go
index 532171d3c29..755a4126d2a 100644
--- a/core/integration/services_test.go
+++ b/core/integration/services_test.go
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/sync/errgroup"
 
 	"dagger.io/dagger"
+	"github.com/dagger/dagger/core"
 	"github.com/dagger/dagger/internal/testutil"
 	"github.com/dagger/dagger/network"
 	"github.com/dagger/dagger/testctx"
@@ -226,7 +227,7 @@ func (m *Hoster) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 		WithDefaultArgs([]string{"httpd", "-v", "-f"}).
 		WithExposedPort(80).
 		AsService()
-	
+
 	hn, err := srv.Hostname(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -401,7 +402,7 @@ func (m *Hoster) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 		WithExposedPort(80).
 		AsService().
 		WithHostname("wwwhatsup0")
-	
+
 	_, err := srv.Start(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -462,7 +463,7 @@ func (m *Caller) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 		WithExposedPort(80).
 		AsService().
 		WithHostname("wwwhatsup1")
-	
+
 	_, err = srv.Start(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -505,7 +506,7 @@ func (m *Hoster) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 		WithExposedPort(80).
 		AsService().
 		WithHostname("wwwhatsup1")
-	
+
 	_, err := srv.Start(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -2124,6 +2125,22 @@ func (ServiceSuite) TestSearchDomainAlwaysSet(ctx context.Context, t *testctx.T)
 	require.True(t, found)
 }
 
+func (ServiceSuite) TestEntrypointCMDCheck(ctx context.Context, t *testctx.T) {
+	t.Run("return error when missing", func(ctx context.Context, t *testctx.T) {
+		c, err := dagger.Connect(ctx, dagger.WithLogOutput(testutil.NewTWriter(t.T)))
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		t.Cleanup(func() { c.Close() })
+
+		s1 := c.Container().From("nginx").
+			AsService()
+
+		_, err = s1.Start(ctx)
+
+		require.Error(t, err)
+		require.Contains(t, err.Error(), core.ErrNoSvcCommand.Error())
+	})
+}
+
 func httpService(ctx context.Context, t *testctx.T, c *dagger.Client, content string) (*dagger.Service, string) {
 	t.Helper()
 
diff --git a/core/schema/container.go b/core/schema/container.go
index 8c9218b6724..b9f5931ba71 100644
--- a/core/schema/container.go
+++ b/core/schema/container.go
@@ -1011,7 +1011,9 @@ type containerWithDefaultArgs struct {
 }
 
 func (s *containerSchema) withDefaultArgs(ctx context.Context, parent *core.Container, args containerWithDefaultArgs) (*core.Container, error) {
-	return parent.UpdateImageConfig(ctx, func(cfg specs.ImageConfig) specs.ImageConfig {
+	c := parent.Clone()
+	c.DefaultArgs = args.Args
+	return c.UpdateImageConfig(ctx, func(cfg specs.ImageConfig) specs.ImageConfig {
 		if args.Args == nil {
 			cfg.Cmd = []string{}
 			return cfg
diff --git a/sdk/elixir/test/dagger/client_test.exs b/sdk/elixir/test/dagger/client_test.exs
index b18f754d601..13cbed41803 100644
--- a/sdk/elixir/test/dagger/client_test.exs
+++ b/sdk/elixir/test/dagger/client_test.exs
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ defmodule Dagger.ClientTest do
       |> Client.container()
       |> Container.from("nginx:1.25-alpine3.18")
       |> Container.with_exposed_port(80)
-      |> Container.as_service()
+      |> Container.as_service(use_entrypoint: true)
 
     assert {:ok, out} =
              dag