diff --git a/src/libvirt_private.syms b/src/libvirt_private.syms
index 2349ce0a29..b5505072ce 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_private.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_private.syms
@@ -2567,6 +2567,7 @@ virSystemdCanHybridSleep;
 virSystemdCanSuspend;
 virSystemdCreateMachine;
 virSystemdGetMachineNameByPID;
+virSystemdHasMachinedResetCachedValue;
 virSystemdMakeMachineName;
 virSystemdMakeScopeName;
 virSystemdMakeSliceName;
diff --git a/src/util/virsystemd.c b/src/util/virsystemd.c
index 90dd68afaf..ceb1c1a958 100644
--- a/src/util/virsystemd.c
+++ b/src/util/virsystemd.c
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@
 # include <sys/un.h>
 #endif
 
+#define __VIR_SYSTEMD_PRIV_H_ALLOW__ 1
+#include "virsystemdpriv.h"
+
 #include "virsystemd.h"
 #include "viratomic.h"
 #include "virbuffer.h"
@@ -182,6 +185,15 @@ virSystemdMakeMachineName(const char *drivername,
     return machinename;
 }
 
+static int virSystemdHasMachinedCachedValue = -1;
+
+/* Reset the cache from tests for testing the underlying dbus calls
+ * as well */
+void virSystemdHasMachinedResetCachedValue(void)
+{
+    virSystemdHasMachinedCachedValue = -1;
+}
+
 /* -2 = machine1 is not supported on this machine
  * -1 = error
  *  0 = machine1 is available
@@ -190,10 +202,22 @@ static int
 virSystemdHasMachined(void)
 {
     int ret;
-    if ((ret = virDBusIsServiceEnabled("org.freedesktop.machine1")) < 0)
-        return ret;
+    int val;
 
-    return virDBusIsServiceRegistered("org.freedesktop.systemd1");
+    val = virAtomicIntGet(&virSystemdHasMachinedCachedValue);
+    if (val != -1)
+        return val;
+
+    if ((ret = virDBusIsServiceEnabled("org.freedesktop.machine1")) < 0) {
+        if (ret == -2)
+            virAtomicIntSet(&virSystemdHasMachinedCachedValue, -2);
+        return ret;
+    }
+
+    if ((ret = virDBusIsServiceRegistered("org.freedesktop.systemd1")) == -1)
+        return ret;
+    virAtomicIntSet(&virSystemdHasMachinedCachedValue, ret);
+    return ret;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/util/virsystemdpriv.h b/src/util/virsystemdpriv.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4f4058b35f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/util/virsystemdpriv.h
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*
+ * virsystemdpriv.h: Functions for testing virSystemd APIs
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2016 Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library 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
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library.  If not, see
+ * <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifndef __VIR_SYSTEMD_PRIV_H_ALLOW__
+# error "virsystemdpriv.h may only be included by virsystemd.c or test suites"
+#endif
+
+#ifndef __VIR_SYSTEMD_PRIV_H__
+# define __VIR_SYSTEMD_PRIV_H__
+
+# include "virsystemd.h"
+
+void virSystemdHasMachinedResetCachedValue(void);
+
+#endif /* __VIR_SYSTEMD_PRIV_H__ */
diff --git a/tests/virsystemdtest.c b/tests/virsystemdtest.c
index 177cccc2f9..d1f8e6f608 100644
--- a/tests/virsystemdtest.c
+++ b/tests/virsystemdtest.c
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 # include <stdlib.h>
 # include <dbus/dbus.h>
 
+# define __VIR_SYSTEMD_PRIV_H_ALLOW__ 1
+# include "virsystemdpriv.h"
+
 # include "virsystemd.h"
 # include "virdbus.h"
 # include "virlog.h"
@@ -522,6 +525,7 @@ mymain(void)
     do {                                                                \
         if (virTestRun(_name, func, NULL) < 0)                          \
             ret = -1;                                                   \
+        virSystemdHasMachinedResetCachedValue();                        \
     } while (0)
 
     DO_TEST("Test create container ", testCreateContainer);