diff --git a/data/usr/lib/systemd/system/plinth.service b/data/usr/lib/systemd/system/plinth.service
index 15a9fd4ed..d84e62b13 100644
--- a/data/usr/lib/systemd/system/plinth.service
+++ b/data/usr/lib/systemd/system/plinth.service
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ After=network.target
 StartLimitIntervalSec=0
 
 [Service]
+Type=notify
 ExecStart=/usr/bin/plinth
 Restart=on-failure
 RestartSec=5
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ User=plinth
 Group=plinth
 StandardOutput=null
 StandardError=null
+NotifyAccess=main
 PrivateTmp=yes
 
 [Install]
diff --git a/plinth/__main__.py b/plinth/__main__.py
index fba9fea58..09d062ff2 100644
--- a/plinth/__main__.py
+++ b/plinth/__main__.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import logging
 import sys
 import threading
 
+import systemd.daemon
+
 from . import __version__
 from . import app as app_module
 from . import (cfg, frontpage, glib, log, menu, module_loader, setup,
@@ -158,6 +160,12 @@ def main():
     web_server.init()
     web_server.run(on_web_server_stop)
 
+    # systemd will wait until notification to proceed with other processes. We
+    # have service Type=notify.
+    systemd.daemon.notify('READY=1')
+
+    web_server.block()
+
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()
diff --git a/plinth/web_server.py b/plinth/web_server.py
index 9020c8be4..09eb78bc8 100644
--- a/plinth/web_server.py
+++ b/plinth/web_server.py
@@ -122,6 +122,10 @@ def run(on_web_server_stop):
         cherrypy.engine.start()
 
     cherrypy.engine.subscribe('stop', on_web_server_stop)
+
+
+def block():
+    """Block the calling thread until web server exits."""
     cherrypy.engine.block()