diff --git a/templates/example/example/service.env b/templates/example/example/service.env
index e93d8b9..f9d95ae 100644
--- a/templates/example/example/service.env
+++ b/templates/example/example/service.env
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Service settings specific to this server 
-# (can also override anything in the basic.env file in the template to make it specific to this server)
+# (can also override anything in the _basic.env file in the template to make it specific to this server)
 
 HOST_PORT=80
 LOCAL_DATA_FOLDER="${HOME}/.example"
diff --git a/templates/watchtower/_basic.env b/templates/watchtower/_basic.env
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8438555
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/watchtower/_basic.env
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Service settings
+TEMPLATE=watchtower
+
+CONTAINER_NAME=watchtower
+
+# Interval in seconds between checks.
+# Default is 1800 seconds (30 minutes).
+INTERVAL=1800
+
+# Image settings
+IMAGE_REGISTRY="docker.io"
+IMAGE_REPO="containrrr/watchtower"
+IMAGE_TAG="latest"
diff --git a/templates/watchtower/_common.sh b/templates/watchtower/_common.sh
index a23a529..6a5d2cf 100755
--- a/templates/watchtower/_common.sh
+++ b/templates/watchtower/_common.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 # JDE
 # 2025-04-25
 
+# This file is not required if you write your own template.
+
+
 # Print error message and exit with code 1
 # Usage: die "error message"
 die() {
@@ -19,12 +22,12 @@ load_env() {
     local env_file
 
     # first load basic.env for the template defaults
-    if [ -f "$script_dir/basic.env" ]; then
+    if [ -f "$script_dir/_basic.env" ]; then
         set -a
-        source "$script_dir/basic.env"
+        source "$script_dir/_basic.env"
         set +a
     else
-        echo "Warning: basic.env file not found at $script_dir/basic.env. Broken template?"
+        echo "Warning: basic.env file not found at $script_dir/_basic.env. Broken template?"
         return 1
     fi
 
diff --git a/templates/watchtower/example/service.env b/templates/watchtower/example/service.env
index 3577c8b..769b305 100644
--- a/templates/watchtower/example/service.env
+++ b/templates/watchtower/example/service.env
@@ -1,14 +1,6 @@
 # Service settings
-TEMPLATE=watchtower
-
-CONTAINER_NAME=watchtower
 
 # Interval in seconds between checks.
 # Default is 1800 seconds (30 minutes).
 INTERVAL=1800
 
-# Image settings
-IMAGE_REGISTRY="docker.io"
-IMAGE_REPO="containrrr/watchtower"
-IMAGE_TAG="latest"
-
diff --git a/templates/watchtower/_install.sh b/templates/watchtower/install.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from templates/watchtower/_install.sh
rename to templates/watchtower/install.sh
diff --git a/templates/watchtower/_uninstall.sh b/templates/watchtower/uninstall.sh
similarity index 100%
rename from templates/watchtower/_uninstall.sh
rename to templates/watchtower/uninstall.sh