diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/makentp.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/makentp.pm
index 35d20ee84..47aeca6cc 100755
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/makentp.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/makentp.pm
@@ -253,7 +253,8 @@ sub process_request {
     }
 
     # Handle chronyd here,
-    if (-f "/usr/sbin/chronyd") {
+    if (-x "/usr/sbin/chronyd" &&
+		(-x "/usr/bin/systemctl" || -x "/bin/systemctl")) {
         send_msg(\%request, 0, "Will configure chronyd instead.");
 
         my $cmd = "/install/postscripts/setupntp " .
diff --git a/xCAT/postscripts/setupntp b/xCAT/postscripts/setupntp
index 75809581a..a95c621da 100755
--- a/xCAT/postscripts/setupntp
+++ b/xCAT/postscripts/setupntp
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ then
 fi
 
 check_executes chronyd >/dev/null 2>&1 || USE_NTPD="yes"
+check_executes systemctl >/dev/null 2>&1 || USE_NTPD="yes"
 
 if [ -n "${USE_NTPD}" ]
 then