diff --git a/ctdb/config/ctdb.service b/ctdb/config/ctdb.service
index 675b3147417..fd81c38e26d 100644
--- a/ctdb/config/ctdb.service
+++ b/ctdb/config/ctdb.service
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Description=CTDB
 Documentation=man:ctdbd(1) man:ctdb(7)
 After=network-online.target time-sync.target
+ConditionFileNotEmpty=/etc/ctdb/nodes
 
 [Service]
 Type=forking