diff --git a/manifests/params.pp b/manifests/params.pp
index 6de4af4..19c4fa1 100644
--- a/manifests/params.pp
+++ b/manifests/params.pp
@@ -5,4 +5,8 @@ class meetbot::params {
     'xenial' => '/usr/lib/python2.7/dist-packages',
     default  => '/usr/share/pyshared',
   }
+  $initd = $::lsbdistcodename ? {
+    'trusty' => 'upstart',
+    default  => 'systemd',
+  }
 }
diff --git a/manifests/site.pp b/manifests/site.pp
index f3bd1d4..6315169 100644
--- a/manifests/site.pp
+++ b/manifests/site.pp
@@ -106,11 +106,24 @@ define meetbot::site(
     environment => 'PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin',
   }
 
-# we set this file as root ownership because meetbot overwrites it on shutdown
-# this means when puppet changes it and restarts meetbot the file is reset
-  file { "/etc/init/${name}-meetbot.conf":
+  if ($::meetbot::params::initd == 'systemd') {
+    $initd_path = "/etc/systemd/system/${name}-meetbot.service"
+    # This is a hack to make sure that systemd is aware of the new service
+    # before we attempt to start it.
+    exec { "${name}-meetbot-systemd-daemon-reload":
+      command     => '/bin/systemctl daemon-reload',
+      before      => Service["${name}-meetbot"],
+      subscribe   => File["${name}-initd"],
+      refreshonly => true,
+    }
+  } else {
+    $initd_path = "/etc/init/${name}-meetbot.conf"
+  }
+
+  file { "${name}-initd":
     ensure  => present,
-    content => template('meetbot/upstart.erb'),
+    path    => $initd_path,
+    content => template("meetbot/${::meetbot::params::initd}.erb"),
     notify  => Service["${name}-meetbot"],
     owner   => 'root',
     replace => true,
@@ -118,10 +131,10 @@ define meetbot::site(
   }
 
   service { "${name}-meetbot":
-    provider  => upstart,
+    provider  => $::meetbot::params::initd,
     require   => [
       Vcsrepo['/opt/meetbot'],
-      File["/etc/init/${name}-meetbot.conf"]
+      File["${name}-initd"]
     ],
     subscribe => [
       File["${::meetbot::params::plugins_dir}/supybot/plugins/MeetBot"],
diff --git a/templates/systemd.erb b/templates/systemd.erb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9a39901
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/systemd.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=<%= @name %> Meetbot Server
+After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+Environment=PYTHONPATH=/var/lib/meetbot/<%= @name %>
+Group=meetbot
+User=meetbot
+WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/meetbot/<%= @name %>
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/python /usr/bin/supybot /var/lib/meetbot/<%= @name %>.conf
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target