diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index 30dc6af..db8ce7c 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 recursive-include debian changelog compat control copyright rules
-recursive-include debian *.init *.lintian-overrides
+recursive-include debian *.lintian-overrides *.service
 recursive-include test   README *.py
 recursive-include tls    README *.sh
 prune debian/tmp
 prune debian/msrprelay
 prune debian/python-module-stampdir
 include config.ini.sample MANIFEST.in LICENSE INSTALL Changelog
diff --git a/debian/msrprelay.init b/debian/msrprelay.init
deleted file mode 100644
index 1832074..0000000
--- a/debian/msrprelay.init
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,76 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-#
-### BEGIN INIT INFO
-# Provides:          msrprelay
-# Required-Start:    $syslog $network $local_fs $remote_fs $time
-# Required-Stop:     $syslog $network $local_fs $remote_fs
-# Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
-# Default-Stop:      0 1 6
-# Short-Description: Start the MSRP relay
-# Description:       Start the MSRP relay
-### END INIT INFO
-
-PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin
-
-INSTALL_DIR="/usr/bin"
-RUNTIME_DIR="/var/run/msrprelay"
-
-SERVER="$INSTALL_DIR/msrprelay"
-PID="$RUNTIME_DIR/relay.pid"
-
-# Options for the MSRP Relay. Do not include --pid <pidfile>
-# --pid <pidfile> will be added automatically if needed.
-OPTIONS=""
-
-NAME="msrprelay"
-DESC="MSRP Relay"
-
-test -f $SERVER || exit 0
-
-. /lib/lsb/init-functions
-
-if [ "$PID" != "/var/run/msrprelay/relay.pid" ]; then
-    OPTIONS="--pid $PID $OPTIONS"
-fi
-
-start() {
-    echo -n "Starting $DESC: $NAME"
-    start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --pidfile $PID --exec $SERVER -- $OPTIONS
-    echo "."
-}
-
-stop () {
-    echo -n "Stopping $DESC: $NAME"
-    start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --oknodo --signal 15 --pidfile $PID
-    echo "."
-}
-
-reload () {
-    echo -n "Reloading $DESC: $NAME"
-    start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --oknodo --signal 1 --pidfile $PID
-    echo "."
-}
-
-case "$1" in
-    start)
-        start
-        ;;
-    stop)
-        stop
-        ;;
-    reload)
-        reload
-        ;;
-    restart|force-reload)
-        stop
-        #sleep 1
-        start
-        ;;
-    *)
-        echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/$NAME {start|stop|reload|restart|force-reload}" >&2
-        exit 1
-        ;;
-esac
-
-exit 0
-
diff --git a/debian/msrprelay.service b/debian/msrprelay.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed9ace1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/msrprelay.service
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=MSRP Relay
+After=network.target nss-lookup.target mysqld.service mariadb.service thor-eventserver.service
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+Environment=PYTHONUNBUFFERED=yes
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/msrprelay --systemd
+ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
+Restart=on-abnormal
+LimitCORE=infinity
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index ff56bb6..99fc056 100644
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -1,19 +1,22 @@
 #!/usr/bin/make -f
 
 #export DH_VERBOSE=1
 
 %:
 	dh $@ --with python2 --buildsystem=pybuild
 
 override_dh_clean:
 	dh_clean
 	rm -rf build dist MANIFEST
 
 override_dh_auto_install:
 	dh_auto_install
 	mv debian/msrprelay/etc/msrprelay/config.ini.sample debian/msrprelay/etc/msrprelay/config.ini
 
+override_dh_installsystemd:
+	dh_installsystemd --no-start
+
 override_dh_fixperms:
 	dh_fixperms
 	chmod 600 debian/msrprelay/etc/msrprelay/config.ini