diff --git a/iceoryx_platform/cmake/IceoryxPackageHelper.cmake b/iceoryx_platform/cmake/IceoryxPackageHelper.cmake
index c5bd38227e..0312433d5d 100644
--- a/iceoryx_platform/cmake/IceoryxPackageHelper.cmake
+++ b/iceoryx_platform/cmake/IceoryxPackageHelper.cmake
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ Macro(iox_add_executable)
     if ( QNX )
         target_link_libraries(${IOX_TARGET} ${IOX_LIBS_QNX})
     elseif ( LINUX )
-        target_link_libraries(${IOX_TARGET} ${IOX_LIBS_LINUX} systemd)
+        target_link_libraries(${IOX_TARGET} ${IOX_LIBS_LINUX})
     elseif ( APPLE )
         target_link_libraries(${IOX_TARGET} ${IOX_LIBS_APPLE})
     elseif ( WIN32 )
@@ -340,7 +340,12 @@ Macro(iox_add_library)
     target_include_directories(${IOX_TARGET} PUBLIC ${IOX_PUBLIC_INCLUDES} PRIVATE ${IOX_PRIVATE_INCLUDES})
 
     if ( LINUX )
-        target_link_libraries(${IOX_TARGET} PUBLIC ${IOX_PUBLIC_LIBS_LINUX} PRIVATE ${IOX_PRIVATE_LIBS_LINUX})
+        if(USE_SYSTEMD)
+            target_compile_definitions(${IOX_TARGET} PRIVATE USE_SYSTEMD=1)
+            target_link_libraries(${IOX_TARGET} PUBLIC ${IOX_PUBLIC_LIBS_LINUX} PRIVATE ${IOX_PRIVATE_LIBS_LINUX} systemd)
+        else()
+            target_link_libraries(${IOX_TARGET} PUBLIC ${IOX_PUBLIC_LIBS_LINUX} PRIVATE ${IOX_PRIVATE_LIBS_LINUX})
+        endif()
     elseif ( APPLE )
         target_link_libraries(${IOX_TARGET} PUBLIC ${IOX_PUBLIC_LIBS_APPLE} PRIVATE ${IOX_PRIVATE_LIBS_APPLE})
     elseif ( QNX )
diff --git a/iceoryx_posh/include/iceoryx_posh/internal/roudi/roudi.hpp b/iceoryx_posh/include/iceoryx_posh/internal/roudi/roudi.hpp
index 3c5c94ca90..d9f97e01e1 100644
--- a/iceoryx_posh/include/iceoryx_posh/internal/roudi/roudi.hpp
+++ b/iceoryx_posh/include/iceoryx_posh/internal/roudi/roudi.hpp
@@ -132,7 +132,9 @@ class RouDi
   private:
     std::thread m_monitoringAndDiscoveryThread;
     std::thread m_handleRuntimeMessageThread;
+#ifdef USE_SYSTEMD
     std::thread listen_thread_watchdog; // 8
+#endif
 
   protected:
     ProcessIntrospectionType m_processIntrospection;
diff --git a/iceoryx_posh/source/roudi/roudi.cpp b/iceoryx_posh/source/roudi/roudi.cpp
index 08bb26f04f..2dc46c1958 100644
--- a/iceoryx_posh/source/roudi/roudi.cpp
+++ b/iceoryx_posh/source/roudi/roudi.cpp
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ void RouDi::shutdown() noexcept
     // Postpone the IpcChannelThread in order to receive TERMINATION
     m_runHandleRuntimeMessageThread = false;
 
+#ifdef USE_SYSTEMD
     /*
      * This is necessary to prevent the main thread from exiting before
      * the 'listen_thread_watchdog' has finished, hence ensuring a
@@ -169,6 +170,7 @@ void RouDi::shutdown() noexcept
     if (listen_thread_watchdog.joinable()) {
         listen_thread_watchdog.join();
     }
+#endif
 
     if (m_handleRuntimeMessageThread.joinable())
     {
@@ -263,6 +265,7 @@ void RouDi::processRuntimeMessages(runtime::IpcInterfaceCreator&& roudiIpcInterf
     IOX_LOG(INFO, "RouDi is ready for clients");
     fflush(stdout); // explicitly flush 'stdout' for 'launch_testing'
 
+#ifdef USE_SYSTEMD
     /*
      * We get information about how they are running. If as a unit, then we launch
      * watchdog and send a notification about the launch, otherwise we do nothing
@@ -301,6 +304,7 @@ void RouDi::processRuntimeMessages(runtime::IpcInterfaceCreator&& roudiIpcInterf
             IOX_LOG(ERROR, "Can not set name for thread watchdog: " << std::string(buf.data()));
         }
     }
+#endif
 
     while (m_runHandleRuntimeMessageThread)
     {