diff --git a/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/amazonlinux2.yml b/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/amazonlinux2.yml
index 993c6401e..d0e4f61e4 100644
--- a/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/amazonlinux2.yml
+++ b/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/amazonlinux2.yml
@@ -78,6 +78,12 @@ install:
             echo "systemctl is required to install the newrelic infrastructure agent. Installation cannot proceed on this linux version." >> /dev/stderr
             exit 20
           fi
+        - |
+          IS_SYSTEMCTL_AVAILABLE=$(sudo systemctl status | grep -i running | wc -l)
+          if [ $IS_SYSTEMCTL_AVAILABLE -eq 0 ] ; then
+            echo "systemctl is required to install the newrelic infrastructure agent. System has not been booted with systemd as init system. Installation cannot proceed on this linux version." >> /dev/stderr
+            exit 20
+          fi
 
     setup_license:
       cmds:
diff --git a/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/centos_rhel.yml b/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/centos_rhel.yml
index da4203b85..751d7c795 100644
--- a/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/centos_rhel.yml
+++ b/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/centos_rhel.yml
@@ -98,6 +98,12 @@ install:
             echo "there is no newrelic infrastructure agent available for the distribution '{{.DISTRO_VERSION}}'." >> /dev/stderr
             exit 21
           fi
+        - |
+          IS_SYSTEMCTL_AVAILABLE=$(sudo systemctl status | grep -i running | wc -l)
+          if [ $IS_SYSTEMCTL_AVAILABLE -eq 0 ] ; then
+            echo "systemctl is required to install the newrelic infrastructure agent. System has not been booted with systemd as init system. Installation cannot proceed on this linux version." >> /dev/stderr
+            exit 20
+          fi
       vars:
         DISTRO_VERSION:
           sh: |
diff --git a/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/debian.yml b/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/debian.yml
index 43f745f4b..e8d39603d 100644
--- a/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/debian.yml
+++ b/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/debian.yml
@@ -80,6 +80,12 @@ install:
             echo "systemctl is required to install the newrelic infrastructure agent. Installation cannot proceed on this linux version." >> /dev/stderr
             exit 20
           fi
+        - |
+          IS_SYSTEMCTL_AVAILABLE=$(sudo systemctl status | grep -i running | wc -l)
+          if [ $IS_SYSTEMCTL_AVAILABLE -eq 0 ] ; then
+            echo "systemctl is required to install the newrelic infrastructure agent. System has not been booted with systemd as init system. Installation cannot proceed on this linux version." >> /dev/stderr
+            exit 20
+          fi
         - |
           if [ -n "{{.DEBIAN_CODENAME}}" ]; then
             IS_INFRA_AVAILABLE=$(curl -Is https://download.newrelic.com/infrastructure_agent/linux/apt/dists/{{.DEBIAN_CODENAME}}/InRelease | grep " 2[0-9][0-9] " | wc -l)
diff --git a/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/suse.yml b/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/suse.yml
index 59dec6ef7..c77ff6722 100644
--- a/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/suse.yml
+++ b/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/suse.yml
@@ -78,6 +78,12 @@ install:
             echo "systemctl is required to install the newrelic infrastructure agent. Installation cannot proceed on this linux version." >> /dev/stderr
             exit 20
           fi
+        - |
+          IS_SYSTEMCTL_AVAILABLE=$(sudo systemctl status | grep -i running | wc -l)
+          if [ $IS_SYSTEMCTL_AVAILABLE -eq 0 ] ; then
+            echo "systemctl is required to install the newrelic infrastructure agent. System has not been booted with systemd as init system. Installation cannot proceed on this linux version." >> /dev/stderr
+            exit 20
+          fi
         - |
           IS_INFRA_AVAILABLE=$(curl -Is https://download.newrelic.com/infrastructure_agent/linux/zypp/sles/{{.SLES_VERSION}}/x86_64/newrelic-infra.repo | grep " 2[0-9][0-9] " | wc -l)
           if [ $IS_INFRA_AVAILABLE -eq 0 ] ; then
diff --git a/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/ubuntu.yml b/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/ubuntu.yml
index 78f8f8eb8..5bbca47ec 100644
--- a/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/ubuntu.yml
+++ b/recipes/newrelic/infrastructure/ubuntu.yml
@@ -84,6 +84,14 @@ install:
               exit 20
             fi
           fi
+        - |
+          if [ {{.DISTRIB_RELEASE}} -gt 14.04 ]; then
+            IS_SYSTEMCTL_AVAILABLE=$(sudo systemctl status | grep -i running | wc -l)
+            if [ $IS_SYSTEMCTL_AVAILABLE -eq 0 ] ; then
+              echo "systemctl is required to install the newrelic infrastructure agent. System has not been booted with systemd as init system. Installation cannot proceed on this linux version." >> /dev/stderr
+              exit 20
+            fi
+          fi
         - |
           IS_INFRA_AVAILABLE=$(curl -Is https://download.newrelic.com/infrastructure_agent/linux/apt/dists/{{.DEBIAN_CODENAME}}/InRelease | grep " 2[0-9][0-9] " | wc -l)
           if [ $IS_INFRA_AVAILABLE -eq 0 ] ; then