diff --git a/command-line/albatross_cli.ml b/command-line/albatross_cli.ml
index 489271b..4427ec6 100644
--- a/command-line/albatross_cli.ml
+++ b/command-line/albatross_cli.ml
@@ -345,6 +345,13 @@ let retry_connections =
   let doc = "Number of retries when connecting to other daemons (log, console, stats etc). 0 aborts after one failure, -1 is unlimited retries." in
   Arg.(value & opt int 0 & info [ "retry-connections" ] ~doc)
 
+let systemd_socket_activation =
+  match Lazy.force Vmm_unix.uname with
+  | FreeBSD -> Term.const false
+  | Linux ->
+    let doc = "Pass this flag when systemd socket activation is being used" in
+    Arg.(value & flag & info [ "systemd-socket-activation" ] ~doc)
+
 let exit_status = function
   | Ok () -> Ok Success
   | Error e -> Ok e
diff --git a/daemon/albatross_console.ml b/daemon/albatross_console.ml
index 7d3ccb2..74d7662 100644
--- a/daemon/albatross_console.ml
+++ b/daemon/albatross_console.ml
@@ -158,12 +158,12 @@ let handle s addr =
 
 let m = Vmm_core.conn_metrics "unix"
 
-let jump _ influx tmpdir =
+let jump _ systemd influx tmpdir =
   Sys.(set_signal sigpipe Signal_ignore) ;
   Albatross_cli.set_tmpdir tmpdir;
   Lwt_main.run
     (Albatross_cli.init_influx "albatross_console" influx;
-     Vmm_lwt.server_socket `Console >>= fun s ->
+     Vmm_lwt.server_socket ~systemd `Console >>= fun s ->
      let rec loop () =
        Lwt_unix.accept s >>= fun (cs, addr) ->
        m `Open;
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ open Cmdliner
 open Albatross_cli
 
 let cmd =
-  Term.(term_result (const jump $ setup_log $ influx $ tmpdir)),
+  Term.(term_result (const jump $ setup_log $ systemd_socket_activation $ influx $ tmpdir)),
   Term.info "albatross_console" ~version
 
 let () = match Term.eval cmd with `Ok () -> exit 0 | _ -> exit 1
diff --git a/daemon/albatross_log.ml b/daemon/albatross_log.ml
index 98cfcc0..4695957 100644
--- a/daemon/albatross_log.ml
+++ b/daemon/albatross_log.ml
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ let handle mvar ring s addr =
 
 let m = Vmm_core.conn_metrics "unix"
 
-let jump _ file read_only influx tmpdir =
+let jump _ systemd file read_only influx tmpdir =
   Sys.(set_signal sigpipe Signal_ignore) ;
   Albatross_cli.set_tmpdir tmpdir;
   Lwt_main.run
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ let jump _ file read_only influx tmpdir =
        Lwt.return_unit
      end else begin
        Albatross_cli.init_influx "albatross_log" influx;
-       Vmm_lwt.server_socket `Log >>= fun s ->
+       Vmm_lwt.server_socket ~systemd `Log >>= fun s ->
        let ring = Vmm_ring.create `Startup () in
        List.iter (Vmm_ring.write ring) entries ;
        let mvar = Lwt_mvar.create_empty () in
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ let read_only =
   Arg.(value & flag & info [ "read-only" ] ~doc)
 
 let cmd =
-  Term.(const jump $ setup_log $ file $ read_only $ influx $ tmpdir),
+  Term.(const jump $ setup_log $ systemd_socket_activation $ file $ read_only $ influx $ tmpdir),
   Term.info "albatross_log" ~version
 
 let () = match Term.eval cmd with `Ok () -> exit 0 | _ -> exit 1
diff --git a/daemon/albatrossd.ml b/daemon/albatrossd.ml
index 8a86ab8..d9953ed 100644
--- a/daemon/albatrossd.ml
+++ b/daemon/albatrossd.ml
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ let write_reply name fd txt (hdr, cmd) =
 
 let m = conn_metrics "unix"
 
-let jump _ influx tmpdir dbdir retries enable_stats =
+let jump _ systemd influx tmpdir dbdir retries enable_stats =
   Sys.(set_signal sigpipe Signal_ignore);
   Albatross_cli.set_tmpdir tmpdir;
   Albatross_cli.set_dbdir dbdir;
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ let jump _ influx tmpdir dbdir retries enable_stats =
         else
           Lwt.return_none) >>= fun s ->
        Lwt.catch
-         (fun () -> Vmm_lwt.server_socket `Vmmd)
+         (fun () -> Vmm_lwt.server_socket ~systemd `Vmmd)
          (fun e ->
             let str =
               Fmt.strf "unable to create server socket %a: %s"
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ let jump _ influx tmpdir dbdir retries enable_stats =
 open Cmdliner
 
 let cmd =
-  Term.(const jump $ setup_log $ influx $ tmpdir $ dbdir $ retry_connections $ enable_stats),
+  Term.(const jump $ setup_log $ systemd_socket_activation $ influx $ tmpdir $ dbdir $ retry_connections $ enable_stats),
   Term.info "albatrossd" ~version:Albatross_cli.version
 
 let () = match Term.eval cmd with `Ok () -> exit 0 | _ -> exit 1
diff --git a/packaging/Linux/README.md b/packaging/Linux/README.md
index 8c84814..c6b1940 100644
--- a/packaging/Linux/README.md
+++ b/packaging/Linux/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # systemd service scripts
 
 these are preliminary and just here to let people play with `solo5-spt`, the seccomp-enabled backend for [Solo5](https://github.com/Solo5/solo5) on Linux.
+Note: The socket paths are hardcoded relative to the RuntimeDirectory (tmpdir).
+If you modify `Vmm_core.socket_path` you must modify the corresponding `.socket` file(s) in this directory.
 
 1) You need to build the `albatross` tooling in this repository
 2) To run unikernels, you need to build and install solo5-elftool and at least one of the tenders: solo5-hvt and solo5-spt. They can be installed somewhere in PATH or in /var/lib/albatross/.
diff --git a/packaging/Linux/albatross_console.service b/packaging/Linux/albatross_console.service
index 90c1118..6808312 100644
--- a/packaging/Linux/albatross_console.service
+++ b/packaging/Linux/albatross_console.service
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@
 # to create an override configuration:
 # systemctl edit albatross_console.service
 Description=Albatross console daemon (albatross_console)
+Requires=albatross_console.socket
 After=syslog.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
 User=albatross
-ExecStart=/usr/local/sbin/albatross-console --tmpdir="%t/albatross/" -vv
+ExecStart=/usr/local/sbin/albatross-console --systemd-socket-activation --tmpdir="%t/albatross/" -vv
 RuntimeDirectoryPreserve=yes
 RuntimeDirectory=albatross
 ExecStartPre=/bin/mkdir -p %t/albatross/fifo
@@ -18,4 +19,5 @@ PIDFile=%t/albatross/console.pid
 RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_UNIX
 
 [Install]
+Also=albatross_console.socket
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/packaging/Linux/albatross_console.socket b/packaging/Linux/albatross_console.socket
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e206bfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/Linux/albatross_console.socket
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Albatross console socket
+PartOf=albatross_console.service
+
+[Socket]
+ListenStream=%t/albatross/util/console.sock
+SocketUser=albatross
+SocketMode=0600
+Accept=no
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=sockets.target
diff --git a/packaging/Linux/albatross_daemon.service b/packaging/Linux/albatross_daemon.service
index 380f8ba..c5eb8d3 100644
--- a/packaging/Linux/albatross_daemon.service
+++ b/packaging/Linux/albatross_daemon.service
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=Albatross VMM daemon (albatrossd)
-Requires=albatross_console.service albatross_log.service
+Requires=albatross_console.socket albatross_log.socket albatross_daemon.socket
 After=syslog.target albatross_console.service albatross_log.service
 
 [Service]
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Type=simple
 # TODO not necessarily needs to be run as root, anything that can solo5-spt/hvt,
 #  create tap interfaces should be fine!
 User=root
-ExecStart=/usr/local/sbin/albatrossd --tmpdir="%t/albatross/" -vv
+ExecStart=/usr/local/sbin/albatrossd --systemd-socket-activation --tmpdir="%t/albatross/" -vv
 #RuntimeDirectoryPreserve=yes
 #RuntimeDirectory=albatross
 PIDFile=%t/albatross/daemon.pid
@@ -27,4 +27,5 @@ IgnoreSIGPIPE=true
 #RuntimeDirectoryMode=0700
 
 [Install]
+Also=albatross_daemon.socket
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/packaging/Linux/albatross_daemon.socket b/packaging/Linux/albatross_daemon.socket
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fe2ec07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/Linux/albatross_daemon.socket
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Albatross daemon socket
+PartOf=albatross_daemon.service
+
+[Socket]
+ListenStream=%t/albatross/util/vmmd.sock
+SocketMode=0600
+Accept=no
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=sockets.target
diff --git a/packaging/Linux/albatross_log.service b/packaging/Linux/albatross_log.service
index 56a6408..a70bd87 100644
--- a/packaging/Linux/albatross_log.service
+++ b/packaging/Linux/albatross_log.service
@@ -4,17 +4,18 @@
 # systemctl edit albatross_log.service
 Description=Albatross log daemon (albatross_log)
 After=syslog.target albatross_console.service
-Requires=albatross_console.service
+Requires=albatross_log.socket
+AssertPathExists=/var/lib/albatross/albatross.log
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
 User=albatross
-AssertPathExists=/var/lib/albatross/albatross.log
-ExecStart=/usr/local/sbin/albatross-log --logfile="/var/lib/albatross/albatross.log" --tmpdir="%t/albatross/" -vv
+ExecStart=/usr/local/sbin/albatross-log --systemd-socket-activation --logfile="/var/lib/albatross/albatross.log" --tmpdir="%t/albatross/" -vv
 RuntimeDirectory=albatross albatross/util
 #RuntimeDirectoryPreserve=yes # avoid albatross.log being cleaned up
 PIDFile=%t/albatross/log.pid
 RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_UNIX
 
 [Install]
+Also=albatross_log.socket
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/packaging/Linux/albatross_log.socket b/packaging/Linux/albatross_log.socket
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..25ba45c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/Linux/albatross_log.socket
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Albatross log socket
+PartOf=albatross_log.service
+
+[Socket]
+ListenStream=%t/albatross/util/log.sock
+SocketUser=albatross
+SocketMode=0600
+Accept=no
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=sockets.target
diff --git a/packaging/Linux/albatross_stat.service b/packaging/Linux/albatross_stats.service
similarity index 73%
rename from packaging/Linux/albatross_stat.service
rename to packaging/Linux/albatross_stats.service
index 247eb88..a212b9b 100644
--- a/packaging/Linux/albatross_stat.service
+++ b/packaging/Linux/albatross_stats.service
@@ -3,16 +3,18 @@
 # to create an override configuration:
 # systemctl edit albatross_stat.service
 Description=Albatross stat daemon (albatross_stat)
+Requires=albatross_stat.socket
 After=syslog.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
 User=albatross
-ExecStart=/usr/local/sbin/albatross-stats --tmpdir="%t/albatross/" -vv
+ExecStart=/usr/local/sbin/albatross-stats --systemd-socket-activation --tmpdir="%t/albatross/" -vv
 RuntimeDirectoryPreserve=yes
 RuntimeDirectory=albatross albatross/util
 PIDFile=%t/albatross/stat.pid
 RestrictAddressFamilies=AF_UNIX
 
 [Install]
+Also=albatross_stat.socket
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/packaging/Linux/albatross_stats.socket b/packaging/Linux/albatross_stats.socket
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eca6a5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/Linux/albatross_stats.socket
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Albatross stats socket
+PartOf=albatross_stats.service
+
+[Socket]
+ListenStream=%t/albatross/util/stat.sock
+SocketUser=albatross
+SocketMode=0600
+Accept=no
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=sockets.target
diff --git a/packaging/Linux/install.sh b/packaging/Linux/install.sh
index 8e1f41a..fa7e6ef 100755
--- a/packaging/Linux/install.sh
+++ b/packaging/Linux/install.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ sudo mkdir -m 0700 -p /var/lib/albatross/block
 sudo install -o "$ALBATROSS_USER" -- /dev/null /var/lib/albatross/albatross.log
 
 sudo cp ../../_build/install/default/bin/* /usr/local/sbin/
-sudo cp ./albatross_*.service  /etc/systemd/system/
+sudo cp ./albatross_*.service ./albatross_*.socket /etc/systemd/system/
 sudo systemctl daemon-reload
 sudo systemctl stop albatross_console
 sudo systemctl start albatross_console
diff --git a/src/vmm_lwt.ml b/src/vmm_lwt.ml
index fd87cea..d370f05 100644
--- a/src/vmm_lwt.ml
+++ b/src/vmm_lwt.ml
@@ -12,20 +12,25 @@ let safe_close fd =
     (fun () -> Lwt_unix.close fd)
     (fun _ -> Lwt.return_unit)
 
-let server_socket sock =
-  let name = Vmm_core.socket_path sock in
-  (Lwt_unix.file_exists name >>= function
-    | true -> Lwt_unix.unlink name
-    | false -> Lwt.return_unit) >>= fun () ->
-  let s = Lwt_unix.(socket PF_UNIX SOCK_STREAM 0) in
-  Lwt_unix.set_close_on_exec s ;
-  let old_umask = Unix.umask 0 in
-  let _ = Unix.umask (old_umask land 0o707) in
-  Lwt_unix.(bind s (ADDR_UNIX name)) >|= fun () ->
-  Logs.app (fun m -> m "listening on %s" name);
-  let _ = Unix.umask old_umask in
-  Lwt_unix.listen s 1 ;
-  s
+let server_socket ~systemd sock =
+  if systemd
+  then match Vmm_unix.sd_listen_fds () with
+    | Some [fd] -> Lwt.return (Lwt_unix.of_unix_file_descr fd)
+    | _ -> failwith "Systemd socket activation error" (* FIXME *)
+  else
+    let name = Vmm_core.socket_path sock in
+    (Lwt_unix.file_exists name >>= function
+      | true -> Lwt_unix.unlink name
+      | false -> Lwt.return_unit) >>= fun () ->
+    let s = Lwt_unix.(socket PF_UNIX SOCK_STREAM 0) in
+    Lwt_unix.set_close_on_exec s ;
+    let old_umask = Unix.umask 0 in
+    let _ = Unix.umask (old_umask land 0o707) in
+    Lwt_unix.(bind s (ADDR_UNIX name)) >|= fun () ->
+    Logs.app (fun m -> m "listening on %s" name);
+    let _ = Unix.umask old_umask in
+    Lwt_unix.listen s 1 ;
+    s
 
 let connect addrtype sockaddr =
   let c = Lwt_unix.(socket addrtype SOCK_STREAM 0) in
diff --git a/src/vmm_lwt.mli b/src/vmm_lwt.mli
index 9cb67a7..fc8b26d 100644
--- a/src/vmm_lwt.mli
+++ b/src/vmm_lwt.mli
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 val pp_sockaddr : Format.formatter -> Lwt_unix.sockaddr -> unit
 
-val server_socket : Vmm_core.service -> Lwt_unix.file_descr Lwt.t
+val server_socket : systemd:bool -> Vmm_core.service -> Lwt_unix.file_descr Lwt.t
 
 val connect : Lwt_unix.socket_domain -> Lwt_unix.sockaddr -> Lwt_unix.file_descr option Lwt.t
 
diff --git a/src/vmm_unix.ml b/src/vmm_unix.ml
index 4491c45..50cedb3 100644
--- a/src/vmm_unix.ml
+++ b/src/vmm_unix.ml
@@ -26,6 +26,26 @@ let check_solo5_cmd name =
   | Ok cmd, _ | _, Ok cmd -> Ok cmd
   | _ -> R.error_msgf "%s does not exist" name
 
+(* Pure OCaml implementation of SystemD's sd_listen_fds.
+ * Note: this implementation does not unset environment variables. *)
+let sd_listen_fds () =
+  let fd_of_int (fd : int) : Unix.file_descr = Obj.magic fd in
+  let sd_listen_fds_start = 3 in
+  match Sys.getenv_opt "LISTEN_PID", Sys.getenv_opt "LISTEN_FDS" with
+  | None, _ | _, None -> None
+  | Some listen_pid, Some listen_fds ->
+    match int_of_string_opt listen_pid, int_of_string_opt listen_fds with
+    | None, _ | _, None -> None
+    | Some listen_pid, Some listen_fds ->
+      if listen_pid = Unix.getpid ()
+      then Some (List.init listen_fds
+                   (fun i ->
+                      let fd = fd_of_int (sd_listen_fds_start + i) in
+                      let () = Unix.set_close_on_exec fd in
+                      fd))
+      else None
+
+
 (* here we check that the binaries we use in this file are actually present *)
 let check_commands () =
   let uname_cmd = Bos.Cmd.v "uname" in
diff --git a/src/vmm_unix.mli b/src/vmm_unix.mli
index 837c8f5..42fe555 100644
--- a/src/vmm_unix.mli
+++ b/src/vmm_unix.mli
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ type supported = FreeBSD | Linux
 
 val uname : supported Lazy.t
 
+val sd_listen_fds : unit -> Unix.file_descr list option
+
 val set_dbdir : Fpath.t -> unit
 
 val check_commands : unit -> (unit, [> R.msg ]) result
diff --git a/stats/albatross_stats.ml b/stats/albatross_stats.ml
index af4deb3..7e6a904 100644
--- a/stats/albatross_stats.ml
+++ b/stats/albatross_stats.ml
@@ -66,13 +66,13 @@ let timer () =
 
 let m = Vmm_core.conn_metrics "unix"
 
-let jump _ interval influx tmpdir =
+let jump _ systemd interval influx tmpdir =
   Sys.(set_signal sigpipe Signal_ignore);
   Albatross_cli.set_tmpdir tmpdir;
   let interval = Duration.(to_f (of_sec interval)) in
   Lwt_main.run
     (Albatross_cli.init_influx "albatross_stats" influx;
-     Vmm_lwt.server_socket `Stats >>= fun s ->
+     Vmm_lwt.server_socket ~systemd `Stats >>= fun s ->
      let _ev = Lwt_engine.on_timer interval true (fun _e -> Lwt.async timer) in
      let rec loop () =
        Lwt_unix.accept s >>= fun (cs, addr) ->
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ let interval =
   Arg.(value & opt int 10 & info [ "interval" ] ~doc)
 
 let cmd =
-  Term.(term_result (const jump $ setup_log $ interval $ influx $ tmpdir)),
+  Term.(term_result (const jump $ setup_log $ systemd_socket_activation $ interval $ influx $ tmpdir)),
   Term.info "albatross_stats" ~version
 
 let () = match Term.eval cmd with `Ok () -> exit 0 | _ -> exit 1