diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index f9d8e1db..9fe57525 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ Maintainer: Proxmox Support Team <support@proxmox.com>
 Build-Depends: bash-completion,
                debhelper (>= 10),
                libpam0g-dev,
+               libsystemd-dev,
                libzstd-dev (>= 1.3.8),
                pkg-config,
                python3-docutils,
diff --git a/etc/proxmox-backup-proxy.service.in b/etc/proxmox-backup-proxy.service.in
index 7d91b687..5f5fdbda 100644
--- a/etc/proxmox-backup-proxy.service.in
+++ b/etc/proxmox-backup-proxy.service.in
@@ -5,8 +5,9 @@ After=network.target
 Requires=proxmox-backup.service
 
 [Service]
-Type=simple
+Type=notify
 ExecStart=%LIBEXECDIR%/proxmox-backup/proxmox-backup-proxy
+ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
 Restart=on-failure
 User=%PROXY_USER%
 Group=%PROXY_USER%
diff --git a/etc/proxmox-backup.service.in b/etc/proxmox-backup.service.in
index 9d651dd3..a843abd5 100644
--- a/etc/proxmox-backup.service.in
+++ b/etc/proxmox-backup.service.in
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ Wants=network-online.target
 After=network.target
 
 [Service]
-Type=simple
+Type=notify
 ExecStart=%LIBEXECDIR%/proxmox-backup/proxmox-backup-api
+ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
 Restart=on-failure
 
 [Install]
diff --git a/src/bin/proxmox-backup-api.rs b/src/bin/proxmox-backup-api.rs
index a9a71f3e..2bba229e 100644
--- a/src/bin/proxmox-backup-api.rs
+++ b/src/bin/proxmox-backup-api.rs
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ fn run() -> Result<(), Error> {
         },
     )?;
 
+    daemon::systemd_notify(daemon::SystemdNotify::Ready)?;
+
     tokio::run(lazy(||  {
 
         let init_result: Result<(), Error> = try_block!({
diff --git a/src/bin/proxmox-backup-proxy.rs b/src/bin/proxmox-backup-proxy.rs
index 60f663ca..46d62194 100644
--- a/src/bin/proxmox-backup-proxy.rs
+++ b/src/bin/proxmox-backup-proxy.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ fn run() -> Result<(), Error> {
         },
     )?;
 
+    daemon::systemd_notify(daemon::SystemdNotify::Ready)?;
+
     tokio::run(lazy(||  {
 
         let init_result: Result<(), Error> = try_block!({
diff --git a/src/tools/daemon.rs b/src/tools/daemon.rs
index 870e5610..9dc3dc8e 100644
--- a/src/tools/daemon.rs
+++ b/src/tools/daemon.rs
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ impl Reloader {
             }
             Ok(ForkResult::Parent { child }) => {
                 eprintln!("forked off a new server (pid: {})", child);
+                if let Err(e) = systemd_notify(SystemdNotify::MainPid(child)) {
+                    log::error!("failed to notify systemd about the new main pid: {}", e);
+                }
                 Ok(())
             }
             Err(e) => {
@@ -178,8 +181,12 @@ where
            crate::tools::request_shutdown(); // make sure we are in shutdown mode
            if server::is_reload_request() {
                log::info!("daemon reload...");
+               if let Err(e) = systemd_notify(SystemdNotify::Reloading) {
+                   log::error!("failed to notify systemd about the state change: {}", e);
+               }
                if let Err(e) = reloader.take().unwrap().fork_restart() {
                    log::error!("error during reload: {}", e);
+                   let _ = systemd_notify(SystemdNotify::Status(format!("error during reload")));
                }
            } else {
                log::info!("daemon shutting down...");