diff --git a/docs/install.md b/docs/install.md
index ddbcf7245..c7f1d1bda 100644
--- a/docs/install.md
+++ b/docs/install.md
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ Edit `orchestrator.conf.json` to match the above as follows:
     "MySQLOrchestratorPassword": "orch_backend_password",
     ...
 
+On systemd, and assuming your `orchestrator` config uses a MySQL backend (as opposed to SQLite), ensure that Orchestrator starts after your backend is loaded. Edit `/etc/systemd/system/orchestrator.service` and add `mysqld.service` in the [Unit] section:
+
+    [Unit]
+    After=syslog.target network.target mysqld.service
+
 
 #### Grant access to orchestrator on all your MySQL servers
 For `orchestrator` to detect your replication topologies, it must also have an account on each and every topology. At this stage this has to be the
diff --git a/etc/systemd/orchestrator.service b/etc/systemd/orchestrator.service
index 390d0a207..16f33fe2e 100644
--- a/etc/systemd/orchestrator.service
+++ b/etc/systemd/orchestrator.service
@@ -9,3 +9,6 @@ WorkingDirectory=/usr/local/orchestrator
 ExecStart=/usr/local/orchestrator/orchestrator http
 EnvironmentFile=-/etc/sysconfig/orchestrator
 ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target