diff --git a/tools/install.sh b/tools/install.sh
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index ec1f5ea..102f804
--- a/tools/install.sh
+++ b/tools/install.sh
@@ -9,14 +9,22 @@ if [ ! -z "$1" ]; then
 
     # Copy arkdaemon to /etc/init.d ,set permissions and add it to boot
     if [ -f /lib/lsb/init-functions ]; then
-      cp lsb/arkdaemon "${INSTALL_ROOT}/etc/init.d/arkmanager"
-      chmod +x "${INSTALL_ROOT}/etc/init.d/arkmanager"
-      sed -i "s|^DAEMON=\"/usr|DAEMON=\"${EXECPREFIX}|" "${INSTALL_ROOT}/etc/init.d/arkmanager"
-      # add to startup if the system use sysinit
-      if [ -x /usr/sbin/update-rc.d -a -z "${INSTALL_ROOT}" ]; then
-        update-rc.d arkmanager defaults
+      # on debian 8, sysvinit and systemd are present. If systemd is available we use it instead of sysvinit
+      if [[ -f /etc/systemd/system.conf ]]; then   # used by systemd
+        cp systemd/arkdeamon.service /etc/systemd/system/arkdaemon.service
+        systemctl enable arkdeamon.service
         echo "Ark server will now start on boot, if you want to remove this feature run the following line"
-        echo "update-rc.d -f arkmanager remove"
+        echo "systemctl disable unit"
+      else  # systemd not present, so use sysvinit
+        cp lsb/arkdaemon "${INSTALL_ROOT}/etc/init.d/arkmanager"
+        chmod +x "${INSTALL_ROOT}/etc/init.d/arkmanager"
+        sed -i "s|^DAEMON=\"/usr|DAEMON=\"${EXECPREFIX}|" "${INSTALL_ROOT}/etc/init.d/arkmanager"
+        # add to startup if the system use sysinit
+        if [ -x /usr/sbin/update-rc.d -a -z "${INSTALL_ROOT}" ]; then
+          update-rc.d arkmanager defaults
+          echo "Ark server will now start on boot, if you want to remove this feature run the following line"
+          echo "update-rc.d -f arkmanager remove"
+        fi
       fi
     elif [ -f /etc/rc.d/init.d/functions ]; then
       cp redhat/arkdaemon "${INSTALL_ROOT}/etc/rc.d/init.d/arkmanager"
@@ -36,6 +44,9 @@ if [ ! -z "$1" ]; then
         echo "Ark server will now start on boot, if you want to remove this feature run the following line"
         echo "rc-update del arkmanager default"
       fi
+    elif [[ /etc/systemd/system.conf ]]; then   # used by systemd
+      cp systemd/arkdeamon.service /etc/systemd/system/arkdaemon.service
+      systemctl enable arkdeamon.service
     fi
 
     # Create a folder in /var/log to let Ark tools write its own log files
diff --git a/tools/systemd/arkdeamon.service b/tools/systemd/arkdeamon.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3d93a01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/systemd/arkdeamon.service
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Daemon to start ark server
+After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=/etc/init.d/arkdaemon start
+ExecStop=/etc/init.d/arkdaemon stop
+Type=forking
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target