diff --git a/debian/metaproxy.default b/debian/metaproxy.default
index 51f3a26e..550fe055 100644
--- a/debian/metaproxy.default
+++ b/debian/metaproxy.default
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
-# Defaults for metaproxy initscript
-# sourced by /etc/init.d/metaproxy
-# installed at /etc/default/metaproxy by the maintainer scripts
-
-#
-# This is a POSIX shell fragment
-#
-
-# Additional options that are passed to the Daemon.
-DAEMON_OPTS="-D -u $SERVER_USER -p /var/run/metaproxy.pid -l /var/log/metaproxy.log -c /etc/metaproxy/metaproxy.xml"
+# Metaproxy user information
+SERVER_HOME=/var/lib/metaproxy
+SERVER_USER=metaproxy
+SERVER_NAME="Metaproxy user"
+SERVER_GROUP=metaproxy
+# Options passed in metaproxy.service
+# Do *not* use -D unless changing Type=fork
+OPTIONS="-u ${SERVER_USER} -l /var/log/metaproxy.log -c /etc/metaproxy/metaproxy.xml"
diff --git a/debian/metaproxy.init b/debian/metaproxy.init
deleted file mode 100644
index adfdd812..00000000
--- a/debian/metaproxy.init
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,180 +0,0 @@
-#! /bin/sh
-### BEGIN INIT INFO
-# Provides:          metaproxy
-# Required-Start:    $local_fs $remote_fs $network $named $time
-# Required-Stop:     $local_fs $remote_fs
-# Default-Start:     2 3 4 5
-# Default-Stop:      0 1 6
-# Short-Description: Controls the metaproxy daemon
-# Description:       Controls the Metaproxy daemon /usr/bin/metaproxy .
-### END INIT INFO
-
-# Do NOT "set -e"
-
-# PATH should only include /usr/* if it runs after the mountnfs.sh script
-PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/bin:/usr/bin
-NAME=metaproxy
-DAEMON=/usr/bin/$NAME
-DAEMON_OPTS="-h"
-PIDFILE=/var/run/$NAME.pid
-SCRIPTNAME=/etc/init.d/$NAME
-
-# Exit if the package is not installed
-[ -x "$DAEMON" ] || exit 0
-
-# Read user information
-. /etc/metaproxy/metaproxy.user
-
-# Read configuration variable file if it is present
-[ -r /etc/default/$NAME ] && . /etc/default/$NAME
-
-# Load the VERBOSE setting and other rcS variables
-. /lib/init/vars.sh
-
-# Define LSB log_* functions.
-# Depend on lsb-base (>= 3.0-6) to ensure that this file is present.
-. /lib/lsb/init-functions
-
-#
-# Function that starts the daemon/service
-#
-do_start()
-{
-	# Return
-	#   0 if daemon has been started
-	#   1 if daemon was already running
-	#   2 if daemon could not be started
-	start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --pidfile $PIDFILE --exec $DAEMON --test > /dev/null \
-		|| return 1
-	start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --pidfile $PIDFILE --exec $DAEMON -- \
-		$DAEMON_OPTS \
-		|| return 2
-	# Add code here, if necessary, that waits for the process to be ready
-	# to handle requests from services started subsequently which depend
-	# on this one.  As a last resort, sleep for some time.
-}
-
-#
-# Function that stops the daemon/service
-#
-do_stop()
-{
-	# Return
-	#   0 if daemon has been stopped
-	#   1 if daemon was already stopped
-	#   2 if daemon could not be stopped
-	#   other if a failure occurred
-	start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --retry=TERM/30/KILL/5 --pidfile $PIDFILE
-	RETVAL="$?"
-	[ "$RETVAL" = 2 ] && return 2
-	# Wait for children to finish too if this is a daemon that forks
-	# and if the daemon is only ever run from this initscript.
-	# If the above conditions are not satisfied then add some other code
-	# that waits for the process to drop all resources that could be
-	# needed by services started subsequently.  A last resort is to
-	# sleep for some time.
-	#start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --oknodo --retry=0/30/KILL/5 --exec $DAEMON
-	#[ "$?" = 2 ] && return 2
-	# Many daemons don't delete their pidfiles when they exit.
-	rm -f $PIDFILE
-	return "$RETVAL"
-}
-
-#
-# Function that sends a SIGUSR1 to the daemon/service
-#
-do_reload() {
-	#
-	# If the daemon can reload its configuration without
-	# restarting (for example, when it is sent a SIGHUP),
-	# then implement that here.
-	
-	$DAEMON -t $DAEMON_OPTS > /dev/null || return 2
-	start-stop-daemon --stop --signal USR1 --quiet --retry=5 --pidfile $PIDFILE --name $NAME
-	RETVAL="$?"
-	# Return if daemon could not be stopped
-	[ "$RETVAL" = 2 ] && return 2
-	# daemon not running or stopped
-	rm -f $PIDFILE
-	# Return if it was not running, in which case we don't start it
-	[ "$RETVAL" = 1 ] && return 0
-	start-stop-daemon --start --quiet --pidfile $PIDFILE --exec $DAEMON -- \
-		$DAEMON_OPTS \
-		|| return 2
-	return 0
-}
-
-case "$1" in
-  start)
-	[ "$VERBOSE" != no ] && log_daemon_msg "Starting $DESC" "$NAME"
-	do_start
-	case "$?" in
-		0|1) [ "$VERBOSE" != no ] && log_end_msg 0 ;;
-		2) [ "$VERBOSE" = no ] && \
-				log_daemon_msg "Starting $DESC" "$NAME"
-			log_end_msg 1 
-		;;
-	esac
-	;;
-  stop)
-	[ "$VERBOSE" != no ] && log_daemon_msg "Stopping $DESC" "$NAME"
-	do_stop
-	case "$?" in
-		0|1) [ "$VERBOSE" != no ] && log_end_msg 0 ;;
-		2) [ "$VERBOSE" = no ] && \
-				log_daemon_msg "Stopping $DESC" "$NAME"
-			log_end_msg 1 
-		;;
-	esac
-	;;
-  reload|force-reload)
-	#
-	# If do_reload() is not implemented then leave this commented out
-	# and leave 'force-reload' as an alias for 'restart'.
-	#
-	# our reload makes a new PID. systemd doesn't allow it. MP-620
-	if test -n "$_use_systemctl"; then
-		log_daemon_msg "Using systemd. Not reloading $DESC" "$NAME"
-		log_end_msg 0
-	else
-		log_daemon_msg "Reloading $DESC" "$NAME"
-		do_reload
-		log_end_msg $?
-	fi
-	;;
-  restart)
-	#
-	# If the "reload" option is implemented then remove the
-	# 'force-reload' alias
-	#
-	log_daemon_msg "Restarting $DESC" "$NAME"
-	do_stop
-	case "$?" in
-	  0|1)
-		do_start
-		case "$?" in
-			0) log_end_msg 0 ;;
-			1) log_end_msg 1 ;; # Old process is still running
-			*) log_end_msg 1 ;; # Failed to start
-		esac
-		;;
-	  *)
-	  	# Failed to stop
-		log_end_msg 1
-		;;
-	esac
-	;;
-  checkconfig)
-	$DAEMON -t $DAEMON_OPTS > /dev/null || exit 2
-	exit 0
-	;;
-  status)
-	status_of_proc "$DAEMON" "$NAME" && exit 0 || exit $?
-	;;
-  *)
-	echo "Usage: $SCRIPTNAME {start|stop|status|restart|reload|force-reload}" >&2
-	exit 3
-	;;
-esac
-
-:
diff --git a/debian/metaproxy.install b/debian/metaproxy.install
index bad0fd9f..1c2f17e6 100644
--- a/debian/metaproxy.install
+++ b/debian/metaproxy.install
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 etc/metaproxy/metaproxy.xml
-etc/metaproxy/metaproxy.user
 usr/bin/metaproxy
 usr/share/man/man1/metaproxy.1
 usr/share/man/man3/*
diff --git a/debian/metaproxy.logrotate b/debian/metaproxy.logrotate
index 239c58ab..d022c4a1 100644
--- a/debian/metaproxy.logrotate
+++ b/debian/metaproxy.logrotate
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
 	delaycompress
 	notifempty
 	postrotate
-		if [ -f /var/run/metaproxy.pid ]; then
-			kill -HUP `cat /var/run/metaproxy.pid`
+		if [ -d /run/systemd/system ]; then
+			/usr/bin/systemctl try-reload-or-restart metaproxy.service
 		fi
 	endscript
 	create 644 metaproxy root
diff --git a/debian/metaproxy.postinst b/debian/metaproxy.postinst
index d1897b1d..deefd1c9 100644
--- a/debian/metaproxy.postinst
+++ b/debian/metaproxy.postinst
@@ -4,18 +4,22 @@ set -e
 
 case "$1" in
     configure)
-    . /etc/metaproxy/metaproxy.user
-    
-    # 1. create group if not existing
+    . /etc/default/metaproxy
+
+    # remove old init.d script if existing
+    if [ -f /etc/init.d/metaproxy ]; then
+        rm -f /etc/init.d/metaproxy
+    fi
+    # create group if not existing
     if ! getent group | grep -q "^$SERVER_GROUP:" ; then
         echo -n "Adding group $SERVER_GROUP.."
         addgroup --quiet --system $SERVER_GROUP 2>/dev/null ||true
         echo "..done"
     fi
-    # 2. create homedir if not existing
+    # create homedir if not existing
     test -d $SERVER_HOME || mkdir $SERVER_HOME
 
-    # 3. create user if not existing
+    # create user if not existing
     if ! getent passwd | grep -q "^$SERVER_USER:"; then
         echo -n "Adding system user $SERVER_USER.."
         adduser --quiet \
@@ -26,23 +30,39 @@ case "$1" in
             $SERVER_USER 2>/dev/null || true
         echo "..done"
     fi
-    # 4. adjust passwd entry
+    # adjust passwd entry
     usermod -c "$SERVER_NAME" \
         -d $SERVER_HOME   \
         -g $SERVER_GROUP  \
         $SERVER_USER
-    
-    # 5. adjust file and directory permissions
+
+    # adjust file and directory permissions
     if ! dpkg-statoverride --list $SERVER_HOME >/dev/null
     then
         chown -R $SERVER_USER:adm $SERVER_HOME
         chmod u=rwx,g=rxs,o= $SERVER_HOME
     fi
-
-    # 6. start service
-    if [ -x "/etc/init.d/metaproxy" ]; then
-        update-rc.d metaproxy defaults >/dev/null
-        invoke-rc.d metaproxy start || exit $?
+    # reload systemd daemon if systemd is used
+    if [ -d /run/systemd/system ]; then
+        systemctl daemon-reload || true
     fi
     ;;
 esac
+
+# Automatically added by dh_installsystemd/13.24.2
+if [ "$1" = "configure" ] || [ "$1" = "abort-upgrade" ] || [ "$1" = "abort-deconfigure" ] || [ "$1" = "abort-remove" ] ; then
+    # The following line should be removed in trixie or trixie+1
+    deb-systemd-helper unmask 'metaproxy.service' >/dev/null || true
+
+    # was-enabled defaults to true, so new installations run enable.
+    if deb-systemd-helper --quiet was-enabled 'metaproxy.service'; then
+        # Enables the unit on first installation, creates new
+        # symlinks on upgrades if the unit file has changed.
+        deb-systemd-helper enable 'metaproxy.service' >/dev/null || true
+    else
+        # Update the statefile to add new symlinks (if any), which need to be
+        # cleaned up on purge. Also remove old symlinks.
+    deb-systemd-helper update-state 'metaproxy.service' >/dev/null || true
+    fi
+fi
+# End automatically added section
diff --git a/debian/metaproxy.postrm b/debian/metaproxy.postrm
index ce720c14..9fd87101 100644
--- a/debian/metaproxy.postrm
+++ b/debian/metaproxy.postrm
@@ -4,12 +4,8 @@ set -e
 
 case "$1" in
     purge)
-	update-rc.d metaproxy remove >/dev/null
-
-	# copy of metaproxy.user, which is gone at this point
-	SERVER_HOME=/var/metaproxy
+	# delete the orignal user
 	SERVER_USER=metaproxy
-	SERVER_NAME="Metaproxy user"
 	SERVER_GROUP=metaproxy
 
         # find first and last SYSTEM_UID numbers
diff --git a/debian/metaproxy.prerm b/debian/metaproxy.prerm
index 26165383..b5957fa5 100644
--- a/debian/metaproxy.prerm
+++ b/debian/metaproxy.prerm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-set -e
-if [ -x "/etc/init.d/metaproxy" ]; then
-	invoke-rc.d metaproxy stop || exit $?
+# Automatically added by dh_installsystemd/13.24.2
+if [ -z "$DPKG_ROOT" ] && [ "$1" = remove ] && [ -d /run/systemd/system ] ; then
+	deb-systemd-invoke stop 'metaproxy.service' >/dev/null || true
 fi
+# End automatically added section
diff --git a/debian/metaproxy.service b/debian/metaproxy.service
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d41ae7ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/debian/metaproxy.service
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+# Metaproxy systemd-style configuration
+
+[Unit]
+Description=Metaproxy Z39.50/SRU router
+Documentation=man:metaproxy(1)
+After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=exec
+EnvironmentFile=/etc/default/metaproxy
+Restart=on-abort
+KillMode=process
+ExecStart=/bin/sh -c "exec /usr/bin/metaproxy ${OPTIONS}"
+ExecReload=kill -HUP $MAINPID
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/debian/rules b/debian/rules
index d1eca4b8..b75b7889 100755
--- a/debian/rules
+++ b/debian/rules
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ override_dh_auto_install:
 	mv debian/tmp/usr/share/doc/metaproxy debian/tmp/usr/share/doc/metaproxy-doc
 	mkdir -p debian/tmp/etc/metaproxy
 	cp debian/metaproxy.xml debian/tmp/etc/metaproxy/metaproxy.xml
-	cp rpm/metaproxy.user debian/tmp/etc/metaproxy/metaproxy.user
 
 override_dh_makeshlibs:
 	dh_makeshlibs -V 'libmetaproxy6 (>= 1.12.0)'
@@ -28,3 +27,6 @@ override_dh_installchangelogs:
 
 override_dh_installdocs:
 	dh_installdocs -A README.md
+
+override_dh_installsystemd:
+	dh_installsystemd