diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index a939665a..08cc3e1c 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/brotherpowers/ipsubnet v0.0.0-20170914094241-30bc98f0a5b1
 	github.com/containers/image/v5 v5.7.0
 	github.com/containers/storage v1.30.0
+	github.com/coreos/go-systemd v0.0.0-20190321100706-95778dfbb74e
 	github.com/creasty/defaults v1.5.2
 	github.com/fatih/color v1.13.0
 	github.com/google/uuid v1.1.2
diff --git a/include/systemd/warewulfd.service.in b/include/systemd/warewulfd.service.in
index 20bd6367..65981fcb 100644
--- a/include/systemd/warewulfd.service.in
+++ b/include/systemd/warewulfd.service.in
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ After=network-online.target
 AssertFileIsExecutable=@BINDIR@/wwctl
 
 [Service]
-Type=forking
+Type=notify
 User=root
 Group=root
 
diff --git a/internal/app/wwclient/root.go b/internal/app/wwclient/root.go
index 7d911c8a..6470f112 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwclient/root.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwclient/root.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
 	"github.com/talos-systems/go-smbios/smbios"
+	"github.com/coreos/go-systemd/daemon"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/pidfile"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/warewulfconf"
 	"github.com/hpcng/warewulf/internal/pkg/wwlog"
@@ -149,9 +150,14 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			os.Exit(0)
 		}
 	}()
-
+	var finishedInitialSync bool = false
 	for {
 		updateSystem(conf.Ipaddr, conf.Warewulf.Port, wwid, tag, localUUID)
+		if !finishedInitialSync {
+			// ignore error and status here, as this wouldn't change anything
+			_, _ = daemon.SdNotify(false, daemon.SdNotifyReady)
+			finishedInitialSync = true
+		}
 
 		if conf.Warewulf.UpdateInterval > 0 {
 			time.Sleep(time.Duration(conf.Warewulf.UpdateInterval*1000) * time.Millisecond)