diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index cb0c3a991981fb2cae3ea3669f2758c363de64a3..85165bc4ff7ba4dd6d4d82ea12ce397e975be6bb 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ include(ECMQueryQmake)
 include(ECMInstallIcons)
 include(KDEPackageAppTemplates)
 include(KDEClangFormat)
+include(ECMConfiguredInstall)
+include(ECMGenerateDBusServiceFile)
 
 find_package(KF5 ${KF5_MIN_VERSION} REQUIRED COMPONENTS
                     Plasma DocTools Runner Notifications NotifyConfig Su NewStuff Wallet
@@ -182,6 +184,8 @@ add_definitions(-DQT_NO_URL_CAST_FROM_STRING)
 # locate qdbus in the Qt path because not every distro makes a symlink at /usr/bin/qdbus
 query_qmake(QtBinariesDir QT_INSTALL_BINS)
 
+option(PLASMA_SYSTEMD_BOOT "Use systemd units for startup of plasma (WIP)" FALSE)
+
 add_subdirectory(doc)
 add_subdirectory(libkworkspace)
 add_subdirectory(libdbusmenuqt)
diff --git a/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/CMakeLists.txt b/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/CMakeLists.txt
index 41af8080879058e471f05a5b780ef04bf49fac0e..8d0592b0f1146b95dad93bf53aac8fb20fc3e8e9 100644
--- a/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -47,3 +47,4 @@ target_link_libraries(gmenudbusmenuproxy
 install(TARGETS gmenudbusmenuproxy ${KDE_INSTALL_TARGETS_DEFAULT_ARGS})
 install(FILES gmenudbusmenuproxy.desktop DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_AUTOSTARTDIR})
 
+ecm_install_configured_files(INPUT plasma-gmenudbusmenuproxy.service.in @ONLY DESTINATION ${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR})
diff --git a/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/gmenudbusmenuproxy.desktop b/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/gmenudbusmenuproxy.desktop
index abdd4836257f5810e1847fa4415b8d3d413d6590..58d97fd8b0a5ae83a7e86ce691ab5b19d8460492 100644
--- a/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/gmenudbusmenuproxy.desktop
+++ b/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/gmenudbusmenuproxy.desktop
@@ -40,3 +40,4 @@ Type=Application
 X-KDE-StartupNotify=false
 OnlyShowIn=KDE;
 X-KDE-autostart-phase=1
+X-systemd-skip=true
diff --git a/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/plasma-gmenudbusmenuproxy.service.in b/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/plasma-gmenudbusmenuproxy.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..3ab9b84b899407a84258adbcd7fbb2cb45e4f3c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gmenu-dbusmenu-proxy/plasma-gmenudbusmenuproxy.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Proxies GTK DBus menus to a Plasma readable format
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=@CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR@/gmenudbusmenuproxy
+Restart=on-failure
+Type=simple
+Slice=background.slice
+TimeoutSec=5sec
diff --git a/krunner/CMakeLists.txt b/krunner/CMakeLists.txt
index 59d50e464c600cdb56620ca88448f82771e3722d..31489328d6841110ae835218e987f3f3c961fe65 100644
--- a/krunner/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/krunner/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,11 +5,10 @@ set(krunner_SRCS
 
 set(krunner_dbusAppXML dbus/org.kde.krunner.App.xml)
 qt5_add_dbus_adaptor(krunner_SRCS ${krunner_dbusAppXML} view.h View)
-configure_file(dbus/org.kde.krunner.service.in
-               ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/org.kde.krunner.service)
-install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/org.kde.krunner.service
-        DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_DBUSSERVICEDIR})
-
+ecm_generate_dbus_service_file(NAME org.kde.krunner
+                                                           EXECUTABLE ${KDE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR}/krunner
+                                                           SYSTEMD_SERVICE plasma-krunner.service
+                                                           DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_DBUSSERVICEDIR})
 
 add_executable(krunner ${krunner_SRCS})
 
@@ -41,4 +40,7 @@ configure_package_config_file(KRunnerAppDBusInterfaceConfig.cmake.in
 install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/KRunnerAppDBusInterfaceConfig.cmake
     DESTINATION ${CMAKECONFIG_INSTALL_DIR})
 
+ecm_install_configured_files(INPUT plasma-krunner.service.in @ONLY DESTINATION
+        ${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR})
+
 add_subdirectory(update)
diff --git a/krunner/dbus/org.kde.krunner.service.in b/krunner/dbus/org.kde.krunner.service.in
deleted file mode 100644
index 46a2d1e799be08b3236d10f1c96f96390fb07cbe..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/krunner/dbus/org.kde.krunner.service.in
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-[D-BUS Service]
-Name=org.kde.krunner
-Exec=@KDE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR@/krunner
diff --git a/krunner/plasma-krunner.service.in b/krunner/plasma-krunner.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..e808f5f0cbafa5e98acba3c4c368b910a9c48157
--- /dev/null
+++ b/krunner/plasma-krunner.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=KRunner
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=@CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR@/krunner
+Type=dbus
+BusName=org.kde.krunner
+TimeoutSec=5sec
+Slice=background.slice
+Restart=no #as we're dbus activated anyway
diff --git a/ksmserver/CMakeLists.txt b/ksmserver/CMakeLists.txt
index 68bc5831fbb794fc8e26ec33b4d87c7a0a6d422e..1a4d8046bee684df532e38f971c6f201e4c18183 100644
--- a/ksmserver/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ksmserver/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -71,3 +71,5 @@ install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/KSMServerDBusInterfaceConfig.cmake
 ########### install files ###############
 
 install( FILES org.kde.KSMServerInterface.xml DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_DBUSINTERFACEDIR})
+
+ecm_install_configured_files(INPUT plasma-ksmserver.service.in DESTINATION ${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR})
diff --git a/ksmserver/plasma-ksmserver.service.in b/ksmserver/plasma-ksmserver.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..199f0a57c44112f62cb0f2f95be6d84fe6024ff5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ksmserver/plasma-ksmserver.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=KDE Session Management Server
+Wants=plasma-kcminit.service
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=@CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR@/ksmserver
+# This magic minus sign means don't fail if exit code is non-zero...
+ExecStartPost=-@QtBinariesDir@/qdbus org.kde.KSplash /KSplash org.kde.KSplash.setStage ksmserver
+BusName=org.kde.ksmserver
+Slice=session.slice
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=plasma-core.target
diff --git a/login-sessions/startplasma-dev.sh.cmake b/login-sessions/startplasma-dev.sh.cmake
index f8139bc2934f42263e0f097559056c5632315b4a..e7365621029ff6f7149c8fe9f3bf8865024b40fa 100755
--- a/login-sessions/startplasma-dev.sh.cmake
+++ b/login-sessions/startplasma-dev.sh.cmake
@@ -2,4 +2,14 @@
 
 source @CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_LIBEXECDIR@/plasma-dev-prefix.sh
 
+# This is a bit of a hack done because systemd starts in pam, and we only set our dev paths after all that is complete
+# This copies everything into a transient runtime directory that systemd reads and reloads the units
+
+if [ ! -z  "$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR" ]
+    mkdir -p "$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/systemd/user.control"
+    command cp -r @KDE_INSTALL_FULL_SYSTEMDUSERUNITDIR@/* $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/systemd/user.control
+    systemctl --user daemon-reload
+endif
+
+
 startplasma$@
diff --git a/shell/CMakeLists.txt b/shell/CMakeLists.txt
index 445fdf6abf98b07929e1161587679a69c448e825..59f7494f5a820653de7432c759999611b7d046e4 100644
--- a/shell/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/shell/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop DESTINATIO
 install(FILES ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_AUTOSTARTDIR})
 install( FILES dbus/org.kde.PlasmaShell.xml DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_DBUSINTERFACEDIR} )
 
+ecm_install_configured_files(INPUT plasma-plasmashell.service.in @ONLY DESTINATION  ${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR})
+
 install(FILES
    scripting/plasma-layouttemplate.desktop
    DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_KSERVICETYPES5DIR})
diff --git a/shell/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop.cmake b/shell/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop.cmake
index b7760d8bc32129c6e1eb107b4ca6bfd651b7c964..7b6f8e34e75a9f04fd818b8140ad3ac570f9e40d 100644
--- a/shell/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop.cmake
+++ b/shell/org.kde.plasmashell.desktop.cmake
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ OnlyShowIn=KDE;
 X-KDE-autostart-phase=0
 Icon=plasmashell
 NoDisplay=true
+X-systemd-skip=true
 
 X-KDE-Wayland-Interfaces=org_kde_plasma_window_management,org_kde_kwin_keystate,zkde_screencast_unstable_v1
 X-KDE-DBUS-Restricted-Interfaces=org.kde.kwin.Screenshot
diff --git a/shell/plasma-plasmashell.service.in b/shell/plasma-plasmashell.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..82e6ec74c8febf29829db6588fc350e5ee191778
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shell/plasma-plasmashell.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=KDE Plasma Workspace
+Wants=plasma-ksmserver.service plasma-kcminit.service
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=@CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR@/plasmashell --no-respawn
+Restart=on-failure
+Type=dbus
+BusName=org.kde.plasmashell
+Slice=session.slice
+TimeoutSec=40sec
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=plasma-core.target
diff --git a/startkde/CMakeLists.txt b/startkde/CMakeLists.txt
index c90789c58f625a96cda6b1b2c00d0e5d9d7ead69..0a33b3f793f141b595f962d0657cb2dbf4a0361c 100644
--- a/startkde/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/startkde/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 add_subdirectory(kcminit)
 add_subdirectory(waitforname)
 
+if (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Linux")
+    add_subdirectory(systemd)
+endif()
+
 add_definitions(-DQT_NO_CAST_FROM_ASCII -DQT_NO_CAST_TO_ASCII)
 add_definitions(-DQT_NO_NARROWING_CONVERSIONS_IN_CONNECT)
 add_definitions(-DQT_NO_URL_CAST_FROM_STRING)
@@ -11,18 +15,22 @@ qt5_add_dbus_interface(
     ksplashinterface
 )
 
-add_executable(startplasma-x11 startplasma.cpp startplasma-x11.cpp kcheckrunning/kcheckrunning.cpp ${startplasma_SRCS})
-add_executable(startplasma-wayland startplasma.cpp startplasma-wayland.cpp ${startplasma_SRCS})
-add_executable(startplasma-waylandsession startplasma.cpp startplasma-waylandsession.cpp ${startplasma_SRCS})
-add_executable(kde-systemd-start-condition kde-systemd-start-condition.cpp)
+
+set(START_PLASMA_COMMON_SRCS startplasma.cpp)
+
+ecm_qt_declare_logging_category(START_PLASMA_COMMON_SRCS HEADER debug.h IDENTIFIER PLASMA_STARTUP CATEGORY_NAME org.kde.startup)
+
+add_executable(startplasma-x11 ${START_PLASMA_COMMON_SRCS} startplasma-x11.cpp kcheckrunning/kcheckrunning.cpp ${startplasma_SRCS})
+add_executable(startplasma-wayland ${START_PLASMA_COMMON_SRCS} startplasma-wayland.cpp ${startplasma_SRCS})
+add_executable(startplasma-waylandsession ${START_PLASMA_COMMON_SRCS} startplasma-waylandsession.cpp ${startplasma_SRCS})
 
 target_include_directories(startplasma-x11 PRIVATE ${X11_X11_INCLUDE_PATH})
 target_link_libraries(startplasma-x11 PRIVATE Qt5::Core Qt5::DBus KF5::ConfigCore PW::KWorkspace
     ${X11_X11_LIB} # for kcheckrunning
 )
+
 target_link_libraries(startplasma-wayland PRIVATE Qt5::Core Qt5::DBus KF5::ConfigCore PW::KWorkspace)
 target_link_libraries(startplasma-waylandsession PRIVATE Qt5::Core Qt5::DBus KF5::ConfigCore PW::KWorkspace)
-target_link_libraries(kde-systemd-start-condition PUBLIC KF5::ConfigCore KF5::Service)
 add_subdirectory(plasma-session)
 add_subdirectory(plasma-shutdown)
 
@@ -39,6 +47,3 @@ install(TARGETS startplasma-wayland ${KDE_INSTALL_TARGETS_DEFAULT_ARGS})
 install(TARGETS startplasma-waylandsession DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_LIBEXECDIR})
 install(PROGRAMS plasma-sourceenv.sh DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_LIBEXECDIR})
 install(PROGRAMS plasma-dbus-run-session-if-needed DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_LIBEXECDIR})
-if (CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Linux")
-    install(TARGETS kde-systemd-start-condition DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_BINDIR})
-endif ()
diff --git a/startkde/kcminit/CMakeLists.txt b/startkde/kcminit/CMakeLists.txt
index 366b0e4264e522d0019aa070f9fd87ec2b2eb392..be5e78f353605598baef34b98a257bc73f488648 100644
--- a/startkde/kcminit/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/startkde/kcminit/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ set(kcminit_startup_KDEINIT_SRCS main.cpp)
 qt5_add_dbus_interface(kcminit_startup_KDEINIT_SRCS ${klauncher_xml} klauncher_iface)
 kf5_add_kdeinit_executable( kcminit_startup ${kcminit_startup_KDEINIT_SRCS})
 
+ecm_install_configured_files(INPUT plasma-kcminit-phase1.service.in  plasma-kcminit.service.in
+                                                   DESTINATION ${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR})
+
 target_link_libraries(kdeinit_kcminit_startup Qt5::Core Qt5::Gui Qt5::DBus KF5::CoreAddons KF5::Service KF5::I18n PW::KWorkspace)
 if (XCB_XCB_FOUND)
     target_link_libraries(kdeinit_kcminit_startup XCB::XCB)
diff --git a/startkde/kcminit/plasma-kcminit-phase1.service.in b/startkde/kcminit/plasma-kcminit-phase1.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..79f1f946320a09773e6eeaa75b5ad7d5b72a5649
--- /dev/null
+++ b/startkde/kcminit/plasma-kcminit-phase1.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=KDE Configuration Module Initialization (Phase 1)
+Requires=kcminit.service
+After=plasma-kcminit.service plasma-kded.service
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+ExecStart=@QtBinariesDir@/qdbus org.kde.kcminit /kcminit org.kde.KCMInit.runPhase1
+Slice=session.slice
diff --git a/startkde/kcminit/plasma-kcminit.service.in b/startkde/kcminit/plasma-kcminit.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..6376ee7631718d0b2579a8490ef15df6e7471553
--- /dev/null
+++ b/startkde/kcminit/plasma-kcminit.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=KDE Config Module Initialization
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=@CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR@/kcminit_startup
+Restart=no
+Type=forking
+Slice=session.slice
+
+[Install]
+Alias=plasma-workspace.service
diff --git a/startkde/startplasma.cpp b/startkde/startplasma.cpp
index 434c64ac0f66b45ba4812f2cb2b622eb7782e57b..615ac7941c33caab78d6fe2d9fce0c6fdae1c960 100644
--- a/startkde/startplasma.cpp
+++ b/startkde/startplasma.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 
 #include <KConfig>
 #include <KConfigGroup>
+#include <KSharedConfig>
 
 #include <unistd.h>
 
@@ -37,6 +38,9 @@
 
 #include "startplasma.h"
 
+#include "../config-workspace.h"
+#include "debug.h"
+
 QTextStream out(stderr);
 
 void messageBox(const QString &text)
@@ -76,7 +80,7 @@ int runSync(const QString& program, const QStringList &args, const QStringList &
         p.setEnvironment(QProcess::systemEnvironment() << env);
     p.setProcessChannelMode(QProcess::ForwardedChannels);
     p.start(program, args);
-//     qDebug() << "started..." << program << args;
+//     qCDebug(PLASMA_STARTUP) << "started..." << program << args;
     p.waitForFinished(-1);
     if (p.exitCode()) {
         qWarning() << program << args << "exited with code" << p.exitCode();
@@ -110,7 +114,7 @@ void sourceFiles(const QStringList &files)
             continue;
 
         if (qgetenv(env.left(idx)) != env.mid(idx+1)) {
-//             qDebug() << "setting..." << env.left(idx) << env.mid(idx+1) << "was" << qgetenv(env.left(idx));
+//             qCDebug(PLASMA_STARTUP) << "setting..." << env.left(idx) << env.mid(idx+1) << "was" << qgetenv(env.left(idx));
             qputenv(env.left(idx), env.mid(idx+1));
         }
     }
@@ -331,6 +335,45 @@ QProcess* setupKSplash()
     return p;
 }
 
+bool hasSystemdService(const QString &serviceName)
+{
+    auto msg = QDBusMessage::createMethodCall(QStringLiteral("org.freedesktop.systemd1"),
+                                                                    QStringLiteral("/org/freedesktop/systemd1"),
+                                                                    QStringLiteral("org.freedesktop.systemd1.Manager"),
+                                                                    QStringLiteral("ListUnitsByNames"));
+    msg << QStringList({serviceName});
+    auto reply = QDBusConnection::sessionBus().call(msg);
+    if (reply.type() == QDBusMessage::ErrorMessage) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    // if we have a service returned then it must have found it
+    return !reply.arguments().isEmpty();
+}
+
+bool useSystemdBoot()
+{
+    auto config = KSharedConfig::openConfig(QStringLiteral("startkderc"), KConfig::NoGlobals);
+    const QString configValue = config->group(QStringLiteral("General")).readEntry("systemdBoot", QStringLiteral("false")).toLower();
+
+    if (configValue == QLatin1String("false")) {
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if (!hasSystemdService(QStringLiteral("plasma-workspace@ANY.target"))) {
+        qWarning() << "Systemd boot requested, but plasma services were not found";
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    if (configValue == QLatin1String("force")) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    // xdg-desktop.target is shipped with an upcoming systemd and shows we have a generator
+    // for creating units out of autostart files
+    // only enable if that also exists, unless we're forced above
+    return hasSystemdService(QStringLiteral("xdg-desktop.target"));
+}
+
 bool startPlasmaSession(bool wayland)
 {
     OrgKdeKSplashInterface iface(QStringLiteral("org.kde.KSplash"), QStringLiteral("/KSplash"), QDBusConnection::sessionBus());
@@ -348,22 +391,9 @@ bool startPlasmaSession(bool wayland)
     // If the session should be locked from the start (locked autologin),
     // lock now and do the rest of the KDE startup underneath the locker.
 
-
-    QStringList plasmaSessionOptions;
-    if (wayland) {
-        plasmaSessionOptions << QStringLiteral("--no-lockscreen");
-    } else {
-        if (desktopLockedAtStart) {
-            plasmaSessionOptions << QStringLiteral("--lockscreen");
-        }
-    }
-
     bool rc = true;
     QEventLoop e;
 
-    QProcess startPlasmaSession;
-    startPlasmaSession.setProcessChannelMode(QProcess::ForwardedChannels);
-
     QDBusServiceWatcher serviceWatcher;
     serviceWatcher.setConnection(QDBusConnection::sessionBus());
 
@@ -373,15 +403,6 @@ bool startPlasmaSession(bool wayland)
     serviceWatcher.addWatchedService(QStringLiteral("org.kde.Shutdown"));
     serviceWatcher.setWatchMode(QDBusServiceWatcher::WatchForUnregistration);
 
-    QObject::connect(&startPlasmaSession, QOverload<int, QProcess::ExitStatus>::of(&QProcess::finished), [&rc, &e](int exitCode, QProcess::ExitStatus) {
-        if (exitCode == 255) {
-            // Startup error
-            messageBox(QStringLiteral("startkde: Could not start ksmserver. Check your installation.\n"));
-            rc = false;
-            e.quit();
-        }
-    });
-
     QObject::connect(&serviceWatcher, &QDBusServiceWatcher::serviceUnregistered, [&]() {
         const QStringList watchedServices = serviceWatcher.watchedServices();
         bool plasmaSessionRunning = std::any_of(watchedServices.constBegin(), watchedServices.constEnd(), [](const QString &service) {
@@ -392,8 +413,49 @@ bool startPlasmaSession(bool wayland)
         }
     });
 
-    startPlasmaSession.start(QStringLiteral(CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR "/plasma_session"), plasmaSessionOptions);
-    e.exec();
+    if (!useSystemdBoot()) {
+        qCDebug(PLASMA_STARTUP) << "Using classic boot";
+        QProcess startPlasmaSession;
+
+        QStringList plasmaSessionOptions;
+        if (wayland) {
+            plasmaSessionOptions << QStringLiteral("--no-lockscreen");
+        } else {
+            if (desktopLockedAtStart) {
+                plasmaSessionOptions << QStringLiteral("--lockscreen");
+            }
+        }
+
+        startPlasmaSession.setProcessChannelMode(QProcess::ForwardedChannels);
+        QObject::connect(&startPlasmaSession, QOverload<int, QProcess::ExitStatus>::of(&QProcess::finished), [&rc, &e](int exitCode, QProcess::ExitStatus) {
+            if (exitCode == 255) {
+                // Startup error
+                messageBox(QStringLiteral("startkde: Could not start ksmserver. Check your installation.\n"));
+                rc = false;
+                e.quit();
+            }
+        });
+
+        startPlasmaSession.start(QStringLiteral(CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR "/plasma_session"), plasmaSessionOptions);
+        rc = startPlasmaSession.waitForStarted();
+    } else {
+        qCDebug(PLASMA_STARTUP) << "Using systemd boot";
+        const QString platform = wayland ? QStringLiteral("wayland") : QStringLiteral("x11");
+
+        auto msg = QDBusMessage::createMethodCall(QStringLiteral("org.freedesktop.systemd1"),
+                                                                       QStringLiteral("/org/freedesktop/systemd1"),
+                                                                        QStringLiteral("org.freedesktop.systemd1.Manager"),
+                                                                        QStringLiteral("StartUnit"));
+        msg << QStringLiteral("plasma-workspace@%1.target").arg(platform) << QStringLiteral("fail");
+        auto reply = QDBusConnection::sessionBus().call(msg);
+        if (reply.type() == QDBusMessage::ErrorMessage) {
+            messageBox(QStringLiteral("startkde: Could not start Plasma session.\n"));
+            rc = false;
+        }
+    }
+    if (rc) {
+        e.exec();
+    }
     return rc;
 }
 
diff --git a/startkde/startplasma.h b/startkde/startplasma.h
index e373227240b9897acadd42b16baa084a32d315b9..1703d62c4abe7f4de22b36e8db504311e899a7f7 100644
--- a/startkde/startplasma.h
+++ b/startkde/startplasma.h
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ bool startPlasmaSession(bool wayland);
 
 void waitForKonqi();
 
+static bool hasSystemdService(const QString &serviceName);
+static bool useSystemdBoot();
+
 struct KillBeforeDeleter
 {
     static inline void cleanup(QProcess *pointer)
diff --git a/startkde/systemd/CMakeLists.txt b/startkde/systemd/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..f475372fee98570f36e492ce8048fb644601656d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/startkde/systemd/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+ecm_install_configured_files(INPUT plasma-ksplash-ready.service.in @ONLY
+                                                   DESTINATION ${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR})
+
+install(FILES plasma-core@.target DESTINATION ${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR})
+install(FILES plasma-workspace@.target DESTINATION ${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR})
+
+add_executable(kde-systemd-start-condition kde-systemd-start-condition.cpp)
+target_link_libraries(kde-systemd-start-condition PUBLIC KF5::ConfigCore KF5::Service)
+install(TARGETS kde-systemd-start-condition DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_BINDIR})
diff --git a/startkde/kde-systemd-start-condition.cpp b/startkde/systemd/kde-systemd-start-condition.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from startkde/kde-systemd-start-condition.cpp
rename to startkde/systemd/kde-systemd-start-condition.cpp
diff --git a/startkde/systemd/plasma-core@.target b/startkde/systemd/plasma-core@.target
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..182a962bbbb10f22b06053004f15e72c911d2fa0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/startkde/systemd/plasma-core@.target
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=KDE Plasma Workspace Core
+Wants=plasma-plasmashell.service plasma-kwin_%i.service plasma-kcminit.service plasma-kded.service plasma-kcminit-phase1.service graphical-session-pre.target
+Requires=plasma-ksmserver.service
+BindsTo=plasma-ksmserver.service
+After=graphical-session-pre.target
diff --git a/startkde/systemd/plasma-ksplash-ready.service.in b/startkde/systemd/plasma-ksplash-ready.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..943330aa87f431d86ee6a0b055328049bdc07716
--- /dev/null
+++ b/startkde/systemd/plasma-ksplash-ready.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=KSplash "ready" Stage
+Wants=plasma-core.target
+After=plasma-core.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+ExecStart=-@QtBinariesDir@/qdbus org.kde.KSplash /KSplash org.kde.KSplash.setStage ready
+Slice=session.slice
diff --git a/startkde/systemd/plasma-workspace@.target b/startkde/systemd/plasma-workspace@.target
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..7bec34d7a8192f3d788a9d851dd93a4533c7ce83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/startkde/systemd/plasma-workspace@.target
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=KDE Plasma Workspace
+Requires=plasma-core@%i.target plasma-ksplash-ready.service
+BindsTo=graphical-session.target
+Wants=xdg-desktop-autostart.target plasma-xembedsniproxy.service plasma-gmenudbusmenuproxy.service
+After=plasma-core.target
diff --git a/xembed-sni-proxy/CMakeLists.txt b/xembed-sni-proxy/CMakeLists.txt
index c2f67ac66b6b039c21c7f8b906e1be4a515fd9e6..443ff07c14fbeee85a68c62445a187978a27769e 100644
--- a/xembed-sni-proxy/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/xembed-sni-proxy/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -64,3 +64,4 @@ target_link_libraries(xembedsniproxy
 install(TARGETS xembedsniproxy ${KDE_INSTALL_TARGETS_DEFAULT_ARGS})
 install(FILES xembedsniproxy.desktop DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_AUTOSTARTDIR})
 
+ecm_install_configured_files(INPUT plasma-xembedsniproxy.service.in @ONLY DESTINATION  ${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR})
diff --git a/xembed-sni-proxy/plasma-xembedsniproxy.service.in b/xembed-sni-proxy/plasma-xembedsniproxy.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..125f5cf947b3e4c110aa4e1c4fa5af836bc63293
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xembed-sni-proxy/plasma-xembedsniproxy.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Handle legacy xembed system tray icons
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=@CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR@/xembedsniproxy
+Restart=on-failure
+Type=simple
+Slice=background.slice
+TimeoutSec=5sec
diff --git a/xembed-sni-proxy/xembedsniproxy.desktop b/xembed-sni-proxy/xembedsniproxy.desktop
index 879c5e1610bae80df6a9734c401d1a9b79fc594d..c32054439dd899c7c43e70138671936f5effaf6b 100644
--- a/xembed-sni-proxy/xembedsniproxy.desktop
+++ b/xembed-sni-proxy/xembedsniproxy.desktop
@@ -47,3 +47,4 @@ Type=Application
 X-KDE-StartupNotify=false
 OnlyShowIn=KDE;
 X-KDE-autostart-phase=0
+X-systemd-skip=true