diff --git a/roles/ceph-docker-common/tasks/main.yml b/roles/ceph-docker-common/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..14e987cde
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/ceph-docker-common/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+---
+- include: system_checks.yml
diff --git a/roles/ceph-docker-common/tasks/system_checks.yml b/roles/ceph-docker-common/tasks/system_checks.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a9a5311e6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/ceph-docker-common/tasks/system_checks.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+- name: fail if systemd is not present
+  fail:
+    msg: "Systemd must be present"
+  when: ansible_service_mgr != 'systemd'