diff --git a/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/init.d/92_open-vm-tools b/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/init.d/92_open-vm-tools
deleted file mode 100644
index 3ebce7d72c..0000000000
--- a/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/init.d/92_open-vm-tools
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-################################################################################
-#      This file is part of OpenELEC - http://www.openelec.tv
-#      Copyright (C) 2009-2012 Stephan Raue (stephan@openelec.tv)
-#
-#  This Program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-#  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
-#  the Free Software Foundation; either version 2, or (at your option)
-#  any later version.
-#
-#  This Program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
-#  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
-#  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
-#  GNU General Public License for more details.
-#
-#  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
-#  along with OpenELEC.tv; see the file COPYING.  If not, write to
-#  the Free Software Foundation, 51 Franklin Street, Suite 500, Boston, MA 02110, USA.
-#  http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
-################################################################################
-
-# setup keyboard layout
-#
-# runlevels: openelec
-
-(
-  # exit if not in vmware
-  if [ ! -x /usr/bin/vmware-checkvm ] || ! /usr/bin/vmware-checkvm > /dev/null 2>&1 ; then
-    exit 0
-  fi
-
-  wait_for_xorg
-
-  # load modules
-  modprobe vmxnet
-
-  /usr/bin/vmtoolsd --background /var/run/vmtoolsd.pid
-)&
diff --git a/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/modules-load.d/open-vm-tools.conf b/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/modules-load.d/open-vm-tools.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c0ee39caed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/modules-load.d/open-vm-tools.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# load vmxnet kernel module
+vmxnet
diff --git a/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/package.mk b/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/package.mk
index 1f6663df1f..05bed88950 100644
--- a/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/package.mk
+++ b/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/package.mk
@@ -63,3 +63,8 @@ makeinstall_target() {
     cp -PR services/vmtoolsd/.libs/vmtoolsd $INSTALL/usr/bin
     cp -PR checkvm/.libs/vmware-checkvm $INSTALL/usr/bin
 }
+
+post_install() {
+  enable_service open-vm-tools.service
+}
+
diff --git a/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/system.d/open-vm-tools.service b/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/system.d/open-vm-tools.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7117805fe2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/sysutils/open-vm-tools/system.d/open-vm-tools.service
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=OpenVMTools Server
+After=xorg-server.service
+
+ConditionPathExists=/usr/bin/vmware-checkvm
+ConditionPathExists=/usr/bin/vmtoolsd
+
+[Service]
+Type=forking
+PIDFile=/var/run/vmtoolsd.pid
+ExecStart=-/bin/sh -c '/usr/bin/vmware-checkvm && /usr/bin/vmtoolsd --background /var/run/vmtoolsd.pid'
+ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=graphical.target