 In this commentary, we respond to Bowen and colleagues' empirical study of research partnerships between Canadian health organizations and university-based investigators. We draw on our experiences of university and health services partnerships to elaborate on some of the misalignments between researchers and health services leaders identified by Bowen at all. We take up Bowen and colleagues' call to reimagine research by proposing three promising points of intervention in research partnerships. These are, 1. Orient towards research relationships rather than project-based partnerships, 2. Recognize shared and diverging expectations and objectives, and 3. Foster a more nuanced understanding of mutual gains. This article was authored by Eugenia Conniss, J. Kevin Shoemaker and Anita Kothari.