diff --git a/package/openssh/00-systemd-readiness.patch b/package/openssh/00-systemd-readiness.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..be3b6b0074
--- /dev/null
+++ b/package/openssh/00-systemd-readiness.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+From ab765b2bd55062a704f09da8f8c1c4ad1d6630a7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From: Michael Biebl <biebl@debian.org>
+Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2015 16:08:47 +0000
+Subject: Add systemd readiness notification support
+
+Bug-Debian: https://bugs.debian.org/778913
+Forwarded: no
+Last-Update: 2017-08-22
+
+Patch-Name: systemd-readiness.patch
+---
+ configure.ac | 24 ++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ sshd.c       |  9 +++++++++
+ 2 files changed, 33 insertions(+)
+
+diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
+index e894db9fc..c119d6fd1 100644
+--- a/configure.ac
++++ b/configure.ac
+@@ -4499,6 +4499,29 @@ AC_ARG_WITH([kerberos5],
+ AC_SUBST([GSSLIBS])
+ AC_SUBST([K5LIBS])
+
++# Check whether user wants systemd support
++SYSTEMD_MSG="no"
++AC_ARG_WITH(systemd,
++	[  --with-systemd          Enable systemd support],
++	[ if test "x$withval" != "xno" ; then
++		AC_PATH_TOOL([PKGCONFIG], [pkg-config], [no])
++		if test "$PKGCONFIG" != "no"; then
++			AC_MSG_CHECKING([for libsystemd])
++			if $PKGCONFIG --exists libsystemd; then
++				SYSTEMD_CFLAGS=`$PKGCONFIG --cflags libsystemd`
++				SYSTEMD_LIBS=`$PKGCONFIG --libs libsystemd`
++				CPPFLAGS="$CPPFLAGS $SYSTEMD_CFLAGS"
++				SSHDLIBS="$SSHDLIBS $SYSTEMD_LIBS"
++				AC_MSG_RESULT([yes])
++				AC_DEFINE(HAVE_SYSTEMD, 1, [Define if you want systemd support.])
++				SYSTEMD_MSG="yes"
++			else
++				AC_MSG_RESULT([no])
++			fi
++		fi
++	fi ]
++)
++
+ # Looking for programs, paths and files
+
+ PRIVSEP_PATH=/var/empty
+@@ -5305,6 +5328,7 @@ echo "                   libldns support: $LDNS_MSG"
+ echo "  Solaris process contract support: $SPC_MSG"
+ echo "           Solaris project support: $SP_MSG"
+ echo "         Solaris privilege support: $SPP_MSG"
++echo "                   systemd support: $SYSTEMD_MSG"
+ echo "       IP address in \$DISPLAY hack: $DISPLAY_HACK_MSG"
+ echo "           Translate v4 in v6 hack: $IPV4_IN6_HACK_MSG"
+ echo "                  BSD Auth support: $BSD_AUTH_MSG"
+diff --git a/sshd.c b/sshd.c
+index 4e8ff0662..5e7679a33 100644
+--- a/sshd.c
++++ b/sshd.c
+@@ -85,6 +85,10 @@
+ #include <prot.h>
+ #endif
+
++#ifdef HAVE_SYSTEMD
++#include <systemd/sd-daemon.h>
++#endif
++
+ #include "xmalloc.h"
+ #include "ssh.h"
+ #include "ssh2.h"
+@@ -1951,6 +1955,11 @@ main(int ac, char **av)
+ 			}
+ 		}
+
++#ifdef HAVE_SYSTEMD
++		/* Signal systemd that we are ready to accept connections */
++		sd_notify(0, "READY=1");
++#endif
++
+ 		/* Accept a connection and return in a forked child */
+ 		server_accept_loop(&sock_in, &sock_out,
+ 		    &newsock, config_s);
diff --git a/package/openssh/openssh.mk b/package/openssh/openssh.mk
index 64ac22181b..3e0a85ae2e 100644
--- a/package/openssh/openssh.mk
+++ b/package/openssh/openssh.mk
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ OPENSSH_CONF_ENV = \
 	LD="$(TARGET_CC)" \
 	LDFLAGS="$(TARGET_CFLAGS)" \
 	LIBS=`$(PKG_CONFIG_HOST_BINARY) --libs openssl`
+OPENSSH_AUTORECONF = YES
 OPENSSH_CONF_OPTS = \
 	--sysconfdir=/etc/ssh \
 	--with-default-path=$(BR2_SYSTEM_DEFAULT_PATH) \
@@ -22,9 +23,20 @@ OPENSSH_CONF_OPTS = \
 	--disable-wtmpx \
 	--disable-strip
 
+ifeq ($(BR2_PACKAGE_SYSTEMD),y)
+OPENSSH_DEPENDENCIES = systemd
+
+OPENSSH_CONF_OPTS += \
+	--with-privsep-path=/run/sshd \
+	--with-pid-dir=/run \
+	--with-systemd
+
+else
+
 define OPENSSH_PERMISSIONS
 	/var/empty d 755 root root - - - - -
 endef
+endif
 
 ifeq ($(BR2_TOOLCHAIN_SUPPORTS_PIE),)
 OPENSSH_CONF_OPTS += --without-pie
@@ -74,7 +86,7 @@ define OPENSSH_INSTALL_SYSTEMD_SYSUSERS
 endef
 else
 define OPENSSH_USERS
-	sshd -1 sshd -1 * /var/empty - - SSH drop priv user
+	sshd -1 sshd -1 * $(if $(BR2_PACKAGE_SYSTEMD),/run/sshd,/var/empty) - - SSH drop priv user
 endef
 endif
 
diff --git a/package/openssh/sshd-sysusers.conf b/package/openssh/sshd-sysusers.conf
index ac77aec065..303d0dbb63 100644
--- a/package/openssh/sshd-sysusers.conf
+++ b/package/openssh/sshd-sysusers.conf
@@ -1 +1 @@
-u sshd - "SSH drop priv user" /var/empty
+u sshd - "SSH drop priv user" /run/sshd
diff --git a/package/openssh/sshd.service b/package/openssh/sshd.service
index b5e96b3a25..715bd3f7eb 100644
--- a/package/openssh/sshd.service
+++ b/package/openssh/sshd.service
@@ -1,11 +1,20 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=OpenSSH server daemon
-After=syslog.target network.target auditd.service
+Documentation=man:sshd(8) man:sshd_config(5)
+After=network.target auditd.service
 
 [Service]
 ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/ssh-keygen -A
-ExecStart=/usr/sbin/sshd -D -e
+ExecStartPre=/usr/sbin/sshd -t
+ExecStart=/usr/sbin/sshd -D
+ExecReload=/usr/sbin/sshd -t
 ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
+KillMode=process
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartPreventExitStatus=255
+Type=notify
+RuntimeDirectory=sshd
+RuntimeDirectoryMode=0755
 
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
