diff --git a/erts/configure.in b/erts/configure.in
index 9ebb56e..cead75b 100644
--- a/erts/configure.in
+++ b/erts/configure.in
@@ -366,6 +363,11 @@ AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(ASSUMED_CACHE_LINE_SIZE,
 		   $with_assumed_cache_line_size,
 		   [Assumed cache-line size (in bytes)])
 
+AC_ARG_ENABLE(systemd,
+AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-systemd], [enable systemd support in epmd]),
+[],
+[enable_systemd=no])
+
 dnl Magic test for clearcase.
 OTP_RELEASE=
 if test "${ERLANG_COMMERCIAL_BUILD}" != ""; then
@@ -1042,8 +1044,6 @@ AC_CHECK_LIB(dl, dlopen)
 AC_CHECK_LIB(inet, main)
 AC_CHECK_LIB(util, openpty)
 
-AC_CHECK_LIB(systemd-daemon, sd_listen_fds)
-
 dnl Try to find a thread library.
 dnl
 dnl ETHR_LIB_NAME, ETHR_LIBS, ETHR_X_LIBS, ETHR_THR_LIB_BASE and ETHR_DEFS
@@ -1679,7 +1679,24 @@ AC_CHECK_MEMBERS([struct ifreq.ifr_enaddr], [], [],
 	 #endif
 	])
 
-AC_CHECK_HEADERS(systemd/sd-daemon.h)
+dnl ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+dnl  Check the availability of systemd
+dnl ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+if test x"$enable_systemd" != x"no"; then
+
+AC_SEARCH_LIBS(sd_listen_fds,[systemd-daemon],
+  [have_sd_listen_fds=yes],[have_sd_listen_fds=no])
+AC_CHECK_HEADERS(systemd/sd-daemon.h,
+  [have_systemd_sd_daemon_h=yes],[have_systemd_sd_daemon_h=no])
+
+if test x"$have_sd_listen_fds" = x"yes" && \
+   test x"$have_systemd_sd_daemon_h" = x"yes"; then
+  AC_DEFINE([HAVE_SYSTEMD_DAEMON],[1],[Define if you have systemd daemon])
+elif test x"$enable_systemd" = x"yes"; then
+  AC_MSG_FAILURE([--enable-systemd was given, but test for systemd failed])
+fi
+fi
+
 
 dnl ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 dnl Check the availability for libdlpi
diff --git a/erts/epmd/src/epmd_srv.c b/erts/epmd/src/epmd_srv.c
index 93982c2..48fd7a5 100644
--- a/erts/epmd/src/epmd_srv.c
+++ b/erts/epmd/src/epmd_srv.c
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ void run(EpmdVars *g)
   node_init(g);
   g->conn = conn_init(g);
 
-#ifdef HAVE_SYSTEMD_SD_DAEMON_H
+#ifdef HAVE_SYSTEMD_DAEMON
   if (g->is_systemd)
     {
       int n;
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ void run(EpmdVars *g)
       SET_ADDR(iserv_addr[0],EPMD_ADDR_ANY,sport);
       num_sockets = 1;
     }
-#ifdef HAVE_SYSTEMD_SD_DAEMON_H
+#ifdef HAVE_SYSTEMD_DAEMON
     }
 #endif