diff --git a/ipatests/azure/scripts/wait-for-systemd.sh b/ipatests/azure/scripts/wait-for-systemd.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..d59873443
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ipatests/azure/scripts/wait-for-systemd.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#!/bin/bash -eux
+
+for i in $(seq 35)
+do
+   systemctl is-active --quiet default.target && exit 0
+   sleep 5
+done
+
+exit 1
diff --git a/ipatests/azure/templates/test-jobs.yml b/ipatests/azure/templates/test-jobs.yml
index b8c5bcb93..dadb2e782 100644
--- a/ipatests/azure/templates/test-jobs.yml
+++ b/ipatests/azure/templates/test-jobs.yml
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ steps:
         --name "$CONTAINER_COREDUMP" freeipa-azure-builder
     docker start "$CONTAINER_COREDUMP"
 
+    docker exec -t \
+        "$CONTAINER_COREDUMP" \
+        /bin/bash --noprofile --norc -eux \
+            "${IPA_TESTS_REPO_PATH}/${IPA_TESTS_SCRIPTS}/wait-for-systemd.sh"
+
     docker exec -t \
         --env IPA_TESTS_REPO_PATH="${IPA_TESTS_REPO_PATH}" \
         --env IPA_TESTS_SCRIPTS="${IPA_TESTS_REPO_PATH}/${IPA_TESTS_SCRIPTS}" \