diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/prepare_libvirt.yml b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/prepare_libvirt.yml
index 447ed829f..d83d35720 100644
--- a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/prepare_libvirt.yml
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/tasks/prepare_libvirt.yml
@@ -166,3 +166,22 @@
     name: virtualbmc
     extra_args: "-c {{ upper_constraints_file }}"
     virtualenv: "{{ enable_venv | bool | ternary(bifrost_venv_dir, omit) }}"
+  become: true
+
+- name: ensure Virtual BMC systemd service is configured
+  template:
+    src: vbmcd.service.j2
+    dest: /etc/systemd/system/vbmcd.service
+    owner: root
+    group: root
+    mode: 0644
+  become: true
+  register: vbmcd_service_file
+
+- name: ensure Virtual BMC systemd service is started and enabled
+  systemd:
+    name: vbmcd
+    enabled: yes
+    state: started
+    daemon_reload: "{{ vbmcd_service_file.changed }}"
+  become: true
diff --git a/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/templates/vbmcd.service.j2 b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/templates/vbmcd.service.j2
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..147945c54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playbooks/roles/bifrost-create-vm-nodes/templates/vbmcd.service.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{% if enable_venv | bool %}
+{% set vbmcd = bifrost_venv_dir ~ '/bin/vbmcd' %}
+{% else %}
+{% set vbmcd = '/usr/local/bin/vbmcd' %}
+{% endif %}
+[Unit]
+Description=Virtual BMC daemon
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+Restart=on-failure
+ExecStart={{ vbmcd }} --foreground
diff --git a/scripts/collect-test-info.sh b/scripts/collect-test-info.sh
index 4336c9c63..9ad662455 100755
--- a/scripts/collect-test-info.sh
+++ b/scripts/collect-test-info.sh
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ if $(journalctl --version &>/dev/null); then
     sudo journalctl -u ironic-conductor &> ${LOG_LOCATION}/ironic-conductor.log
     sudo journalctl -u ironic-inspector &> ${LOG_LOCATION}/ironic-inspector.log
     sudo journalctl -u dnsmasq &> ${LOG_LOCATION}/dnsmasq.log
+    sudo journalctl -u vbmcd &> ${LOG_LOCATION}/vbmcd.log
 else
    sudo cp /var/log/upstart/ironic-api.log ${LOG_LOCATION}/
    sudo cp /var/log/upstart/ironic-conductor.log ${LOG_LOCATION}/