diff --git a/salt/logstash/map.jinja b/salt/logstash/map.jinja
index 8fc3291e5..da2bc341a 100644
--- a/salt/logstash/map.jinja
+++ b/salt/logstash/map.jinja
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {# Copyright Security Onion Solutions LLC and/or licensed to Security Onion Solutions LLC under one
-   or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License 2.0 as shown at 
+   or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License 2.0 as shown at
    https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
    Elastic License 2.0. #}
 
@@ -42,4 +42,4 @@
 {%       do LOGSTASH_MERGED.update({'enabled': False}) %}
 {%     endif %}
 {%   endif %}
-{% endif %}
\ No newline at end of file
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/salt/top.sls b/salt/top.sls
index d876806f2..cffd1ebc8 100644
--- a/salt/top.sls
+++ b/salt/top.sls
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ base:
   '*':
     - cron.running
     - repo.client
+    - versionlock
     - ntp
     - schedule
     - logrotate
diff --git a/salt/versionlock/defaults.yaml b/salt/versionlock/defaults.yaml
index b7bce6c48..cacd1d7bb 100644
--- a/salt/versionlock/defaults.yaml
+++ b/salt/versionlock/defaults.yaml
@@ -1,3 +1,2 @@
 versionlock:
-  kernel: False
   hold: []
diff --git a/salt/versionlock/init.sls b/salt/versionlock/init.sls
index ac27d69d7..278809aee 100644
--- a/salt/versionlock/init.sls
+++ b/salt/versionlock/init.sls
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+# Copyright Security Onion Solutions LLC and/or licensed to Security Onion Solutions LLC under one
+# or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License 2.0 as shown at
+# https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
+# Elastic License 2.0.
+
 {% from 'versionlock/map.jinja' import VERSIONLOCKMERGED %}
 
 {% for pkg in VERSIONLOCKMERGED.hold %}
diff --git a/salt/versionlock/map.jinja b/salt/versionlock/map.jinja
index 79ef1c45c..e078ff22d 100644
--- a/salt/versionlock/map.jinja
+++ b/salt/versionlock/map.jinja
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
+{# Copyright Security Onion Solutions LLC and/or licensed to Security Onion Solutions LLC under one
+   or more contributor license agreements. Licensed under the Elastic License 2.0 as shown at
+   https://securityonion.net/license; you may not use this file except in compliance with the
+   Elastic License 2.0. #}
+
 {% import_yaml 'versionlock/defaults.yaml' as VERSIONLOCKDEFAULTS %}
 {% set VERSIONLOCKMERGED = salt['pillar.get']('versionlock', VERSIONLOCKDEFAULTS.versionlock, merge=True) %}
 {% set HELD = salt['pkg.list_holds']() %}
 
+{# these are packages held / versionlock in other states #}
 {% set PACKAGES_HELD_IN_OTHER_STATES = [
    'salt',
    'salt-master',
@@ -12,21 +18,16 @@
    'docker-ce-rootless-extras'
 ] %}
 
-{% if VERSIONLOCKMERGED.kernel %}
-    {% do VERSIONLOCKMERGED['hold'].append('kernel') %}
-{% endif %}
-
 {# remove packages held in other states from hold list #}
 {% do VERSIONLOCKMERGED.update({'hold': VERSIONLOCKMERGED['hold'] | unique | reject('in', PACKAGES_HELD_IN_OTHER_STATES) | list }) %}
 
+{# initiate VERSIONLOCKMERGED.UNHOLD #}
 {% do VERSIONLOCKMERGED.update({'UNHOLD': []}) %}
 
 {# if a package is currently held but not set to be held, unhold it #}
 {% for item in HELD %}
     {% set base_name = item.rsplit('-', 2)[0] %}
-    {% if base_name not in VERSIONLOCKMERGED['hold']
-       and base_name not in PACKAGES_HELD_IN_OTHER_STATES
-       and base_name not in VERSIONLOCKMERGED['UNHOLD'] %}
+    {% if base_name not in VERSIONLOCKMERGED['hold'] and base_name not in PACKAGES_HELD_IN_OTHER_STATES and base_name not in VERSIONLOCKMERGED['UNHOLD'] %}
         {% do VERSIONLOCKMERGED['UNHOLD'].append(base_name) %}
     {% endif %}
 {% endfor %}
diff --git a/salt/versionlock/soc_versionlock.yaml b/salt/versionlock/soc_versionlock.yaml
index b5f25c3a7..24b8676a9 100644
--- a/salt/versionlock/soc_versionlock.yaml
+++ b/salt/versionlock/soc_versionlock.yaml
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
 versionlock:
-  kernel:
-    description: Lock the kernel to prevent upgrade.
-    global: True
-    forcedType: bool
   hold:
-    description: List of packages to hold
+    description: List of packages to hold. To reduce the frequency of required reboots, add 'kernel' to this list.
     global: True
     forcedType: "[]string"
     multiline: True
+    helpLink: versionlock.html
diff --git a/setup/so-functions b/setup/so-functions
index 5ebf76c17..8e83f822d 100755
--- a/setup/so-functions
+++ b/setup/so-functions
@@ -1404,7 +1404,7 @@ make_some_dirs() {
 	mkdir -p $local_salt_dir/salt/firewall/portgroups
 	mkdir -p $local_salt_dir/salt/firewall/ports
 
-	for THEDIR in bpf pcap elasticsearch ntp firewall redis backup influxdb strelka sensoroni soc docker zeek suricata nginx telegraf logstash soc manager kratos idstools idh elastalert stig global kafka;do
+	for THEDIR in bpf pcap elasticsearch ntp firewall redis backup influxdb strelka sensoroni soc docker zeek suricata nginx telegraf logstash soc manager kratos idstools idh elastalert stig global kafka versionlock; do
 	mkdir -p $local_salt_dir/pillar/$THEDIR
 	touch $local_salt_dir/pillar/$THEDIR/adv_$THEDIR.sls
 	touch $local_salt_dir/pillar/$THEDIR/soc_$THEDIR.sls