diff --git a/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/macros.jinja b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/macros.jinja
index aed88466..402092fc 100644
--- a/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/macros.jinja
+++ b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/macros.jinja
@@ -114,3 +114,35 @@ ha_fencing_ipmi_secret_{{ host }}:
       - ha_resource_update_{{ host }}
 {%- endif %}
 {%- endmacro -%}
+
+{%- macro restart() -%}
+{%- set file = '/var/adm/suse_ha_pending_restart' %}
+
+{%- if salt ['file.file_exists'](file) or is_standby %}
+  {%- if is_standby %}
+
+suse_ha_restart:
+  cmd.run:
+    - name: /usr/sbin/crm cluster restart
+    - shell: /bin/sh
+    - timeout: 600
+
+suse_ha_clear_restart:
+  file.absent:
+    - name: {{ file }}
+    - require:
+        - cmd: suse_ha_restart
+
+  {%- else %}
+    {%- do salt.log.warning('suse_ha: restart from previous execution is still pending, node is not in standby mode!')
+  {%- endif %} {#- close inner standby check #}
+
+{%- else %}
+
+suse_ha_note_restart_{{ service }}:
+  file.managed:
+    - name: {{ file }}
+    - replace: False
+
+{%- endif %} {#- close file or standby check #}
+{%- endmacro -%}
diff --git a/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/map.jinja b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/map.jinja
index 5514f1b1..b5b6ca44 100644
--- a/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/map.jinja
+++ b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/map.jinja
@@ -74,3 +74,23 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 {%- set is_primary = False -%}
 {%- endif -%}
 {%- do salt.log.debug('suse_ha: is_primary: ' ~ is_primary) -%}
+
+{%- set cmd_kwargs = {
+      'clean_env': True,
+      'python_shell': False,
+      'shell': '/bin/sh',
+    }
+-%}
+{%- set cmd_kwargs_ir = {
+      **cmd_kwargs,
+      'ignore_retcode': True,
+    }
+-%}
+
+{%- if salt['cmd.has_exec']('/usr/sbin/crm_standby') and salt['cmd.retcode']('/usr/bin/systemctl is-active pacemaker', **cmd_kwargs_ir) == 0 %}
+  {%- set is_standby = salt['cmd.run_stdout']('/usr/sbin/crm_standby -Gq', **cmd_kwargs) == 'on' -%}
+  {%- do salt.log.debug('suse_ha: standby: ' ~ is_standby) -%}
+{%- else -%}
+  {%- set is_standby = True -%}
+  {%- do salt.log.debug('suse_ha: assuming standby') -%}
+{%- endif -%}
diff --git a/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/pacemaker/init.sls b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/pacemaker/init.sls
index 0b450880..5f8f21bd 100644
--- a/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/pacemaker/init.sls
+++ b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/pacemaker/init.sls
@@ -16,15 +16,15 @@ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 -#}
 
-{%- from 'suse_ha/map.jinja' import cluster, fencing, sysconfig -%}
+{%- from 'suse_ha/map.jinja' import cluster, cmd_kwargs, fencing, is_standby, sysconfig -%}
 {%- from 'suse_ha/macros.jinja' import ha_resource, property, rsc_default, ipmi_secret -%}
 {%- set myfqdn = grains['fqdn'] -%}
 {%- set myhost = grains['host'] -%}
-{%- if salt['cmd.retcode']('test -x /usr/sbin/crmadmin') == 0 -%}
-{%- set clusterdc = salt['cmd.run']('/usr/sbin/crmadmin -q -D 1') -%}
+{%- if salt['cmd.has_exec']('/usr/sbin/crmadmin') -%}
+  {%- set clusterdc = salt['cmd.run']('/usr/sbin/crmadmin -q -D 1', **cmd_kwargs) -%}
 {%- else -%}
-{%- do salt.log.error('crmadmin is not available!') -%}
-{%- set clusterdc = None -%}
+  {%- do salt.log.error('crmadmin is not available!') -%}
+  {%- set clusterdc = None -%}
 {%- endif -%}
 
 {% if myfqdn == clusterdc or myhost == clusterdc %}
@@ -91,10 +91,14 @@ include:
 {%- endif %}
 {%- endif %}
   - suse_ha.resources
+  - suse_ha.restart
 
 {%- else %}
 {%- do salt.log.info('Not sending any Pacemaker configuration - ' ~ myfqdn ~ ' is not the designated controller.') -%}
 
+include:
+  - suse_ha.restart
+
 {%- if fencing.enable and 'ipmi' in fencing %}
 {%- for host, config in fencing.ipmi.hosts.items() %}
 {{ ipmi_secret(host, config['secret'], False) }}
@@ -107,7 +111,7 @@ include:
 pacemaker.service:
   service.running:
     - enable: True
-    - reload: True
+    - reload: False
     - retry:
         attempts: 3
         interval: 10
@@ -116,8 +120,6 @@ pacemaker.service:
       - suse_ha_packages
       - corosync.service
 {%- if sysconfig.pacemaker | length %}
-    - watch:
-      - suse_sysconfig: /etc/sysconfig/pacemaker
   suse_sysconfig.sysconfig:
     - name: /etc/sysconfig/pacemaker
     - header_pillar: managed_by_salt_formula_sysconfig
@@ -130,6 +132,8 @@ pacemaker.service:
         {%- endfor %}
     - require:
       - suse_ha_packages
+    - watch_in:
+      - cmd: suse_ha_restart
 {%- endif %}
 {%- else %}
 {%- do salt.log.error('suse_ha: cluster pillar not configured, not enabling Pacemaker!') %}
diff --git a/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/quorum_wait_attempt b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/quorum_wait_attempt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1b9789a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/quorum_wait_attempt
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+pacemaker_wait_for_quorum:
+  loop.until_no_eval:
+    - name: cmd.run
+    - args:
+      - crm_node -q
+    - expected: '1'
+    - period: 5
+    - timeout: 30
+
diff --git a/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/restart.sls b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/restart.sls
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..25055981
--- /dev/null
+++ b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/restart.sls
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+{#-
+Salt state file for managing SUSE HA cluster restarts
+Copyright (C) 2024 SUSE LLC <georg.pfuetzenreuter@suse.com>
+
+This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+(at your option) any later version.
+
+This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+-#}
+
+{%- from 'suse_ha/map.jinja' import is_standby -%}
+{%- set file = '/var/adm/suse_ha_pending_restart' %}
+
+{%- if salt ['file.file_exists'](file) or is_standby %}
+  {%- if is_standby %}
+
+suse_ha_restart:
+  cmd.run:
+    - name: /usr/sbin/crm cluster restart
+    - shell: /bin/sh
+    - timeout: 600
+
+suse_ha_clear_pending_restart:
+  file.absent:
+    - name: {{ file }}
+    - require:
+        - cmd: suse_ha_restart
+
+  {%- else %}
+    {%- do salt.log.warning('suse_ha: restart from previous execution is still pending, node is not in standby mode!')
+  {%- endif %} {#- close inner standby check #}
+
+{%- else %}
+
+suse_ha_restart:
+  # file.managed would be more appropriate, but the file module does not offer a mod_watch function and we would need additional logic to differentiate between cmd and file in the calling watch directives
+  cmd.run:
+    - name: touch {{ file }}
+    - creates: {{ file }}
+    - shell: /bin/sh
+
+{%- endif %} {#- close file or standby check #}
diff --git a/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/sbd.sls b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/sbd.sls
index 9e0a9ea9..252f429e 100644
--- a/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/sbd.sls
+++ b/suse_ha-formula/suse_ha/sbd.sls
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 -#}
 
-{%- from 'suse_ha/map.jinja' import sbd, sysconfig, is_primary -%}
+{%- from 'suse_ha/map.jinja' import sbd, sysconfig, is_primary, is_standby -%}
 {%- if 'devices' in sbd %}
 include:
   - .packages