diff --git a/modules/sops/templates/default.nix b/modules/sops/templates/default.nix
index 3a53cb8..97952d2 100644
--- a/modules/sops/templates/default.nix
+++ b/modules/sops/templates/default.nix
@@ -65,6 +65,24 @@ in {
               File used as the template. When this value is specified, `sops.templates.<name>.content` is ignored.
             '';
           };
+          restartUnits = lib.mkOption {
+            type = lib.types.listOf lib.types.str;
+            default = [ ];
+            example = [ "sshd.service" ];
+            description = ''
+              Names of units that should be restarted when the rendered template changes.
+              This works the same way as <xref linkend="opt-systemd.services._name_.restartTriggers" />.
+            '';
+          };
+          reloadUnits = lib.mkOption {
+            type = lib.types.listOf lib.types.str;
+            default = [ ];
+            example = [ "sshd.service" ];
+            description = ''
+              Names of units that should be reloaded when the rendered template changes.
+              This works the same way as <xref linkend="opt-systemd.services._name_.reloadTriggers" />.
+            '';
+          };
         };
       }));
       default = { };
diff --git a/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main.go b/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main.go
index 42c9d5e..391eb7d 100644
--- a/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main.go
+++ b/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main.go
@@ -51,20 +51,22 @@ type loggingConfig struct {
 }
 
 type template struct {
-	Name    string  `json:"name"`
-	Content string  `json:"content"`
-	Path    string  `json:"path"`
-	Mode    string  `json:"mode"`
-	Owner   *string `json:"owner,omitempty"`
-	UID     int     `json:"uid"`
-	Group   *string `json:"group,omitempty"`
-	GID     int     `json:"gid"`
-	File    string  `json:"file"`
-	value   []byte
-	mode    os.FileMode
-	content string
-	owner   int
-	group   int
+	Name         string   `json:"name"`
+	Content      string   `json:"content"`
+	Path         string   `json:"path"`
+	Mode         string   `json:"mode"`
+	Owner        *string  `json:"owner,omitempty"`
+	UID          int      `json:"uid"`
+	Group        *string  `json:"group,omitempty"`
+	GID          int      `json:"gid"`
+	File         string   `json:"file"`
+	RestartUnits []string `json:"restartUnits"`
+	ReloadUnits  []string `json:"reloadUnits"`
+	value        []byte
+	mode         os.FileMode
+	content      string
+	owner        int
+	group        int
 }
 
 type manifest struct {
@@ -951,6 +953,8 @@ func handleModifications(isDry bool, logcfg loggingConfig, symlinkPath string, s
 		if err != nil {
 			if os.IsNotExist(err) {
 				// File did not exist before
+				restart = append(restart, template.RestartUnits...)
+				reload = append(reload, template.ReloadUnits...)
 				newTemplates[template.Name] = true
 				continue
 			}
@@ -964,6 +968,8 @@ func handleModifications(isDry bool, logcfg loggingConfig, symlinkPath string, s
 		}
 
 		if !bytes.Equal(oldData, newData) {
+			restart = append(restart, template.RestartUnits...)
+			reload = append(reload, template.ReloadUnits...)
 			modifiedTemplates[template.Name] = true
 		}
 	}
@@ -1156,7 +1162,8 @@ func writeTemplates(targetDir string, templates map[string]*template, keysGID in
 		if !userMode {
 			if err := os.Chown(fp, template.owner, template.group); err != nil {
 				return fmt.Errorf("cannot change owner/group of '%s' to %d/%d: %w", fp, template.owner, template.group, err)
-			} }
+			}
+		}
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/nixos-test.nix b/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/nixos-test.nix
index e36bfe7..765d8be 100644
--- a/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/nixos-test.nix
+++ b/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/nixos-test.nix
@@ -344,10 +344,14 @@ in {
           reloadUnits = [ "reload-trigger.service" ];
         };
 
-        templates.test_template.content = ''
-          this is a template with
-          a secret: ${config.sops.placeholder.test_key}
-        '';
+        templates.test_template = {
+          content = ''
+            this is a template with
+            a secret: ${config.sops.placeholder.test_key}
+          '';
+          restartUnits = [ "restart-unit.service" "reload-unit.service" ];
+          reloadUnits = [ "reload-trigger.service" ];
+        };
       };
       system.switch.enable = true;
 
@@ -421,6 +425,22 @@ in {
       machine.succeed("test -f /restarted")
       machine.succeed("test -f /reloaded")
 
+      # Cleanup the marker files.
+      machine.succeed("rm /restarted /reloaded")
+
+      # Ensure the template is changed
+      machine.succeed(": > /run/secrets/rendered/test_template")
+
+      # The template is changed, now something should happen
+      machine.succeed("/run/current-system/bin/switch-to-configuration test")
+
+      # Ensure something happened
+      machine.succeed("test -f /restarted")
+      machine.succeed("test -f /reloaded")
+
+      # Cleanup the marker files.
+      machine.succeed("rm /restarted /reloaded")
+
       with subtest("change detection"):
         machine.succeed("rm /run/secrets/test_key")
         machine.succeed("rm /run/secrets/rendered/test_template")