diff --git a/sources/lib/core/include_os.sh b/sources/lib/core/include_os.sh
index e81f268..5b6493d 100644
--- a/sources/lib/core/include_os.sh
+++ b/sources/lib/core/include_os.sh
@@ -212,6 +212,24 @@ print ${_HAS_NM}
 return 0
 }
 
+# -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# @(#) FUNCTION: linux_has_systemd_service()
+# DOES: check if a systemd service is present (unit file)
+# EXPECTS: name of service [string]
+# OUTPUTS: 0=not installed; 1=installed
+# RETURNS: 0=success; 1=error
+# REQUIRES: n/a
+function linux_has_systemd_service
+{
+(( ARG_DEBUG > 0 && ARG_DEBUG_LEVEL > 0 )) && set "${DEBUG_OPTS}"
+typeset _RC=0
+
+systemctl list-unit-files 2>/dev/null | grep -c "^{$1}" 2>/dev/null
+_RC=$?
+
+return ${_RC}
+}
+
 #******************************************************************************
 # END of script
 #******************************************************************************
diff --git a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_httpd_status.sh b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_httpd_status.sh
index d1d9401..978ade6 100644
--- a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_httpd_status.sh
+++ b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_httpd_status.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 # @(#) 2017-05-08: fix fall-back for sysv->pgrep [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # @(#) 2017-05-17: removed _MSG dupe [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # @(#) 2018-05-21: STDERR fixes [Patrick Van der Veken]
+# @(#) 2018-11-18: add linux_has_systemd_service() [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # DO NOT CHANGE THIS FILE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
 #******************************************************************************
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ function check_linux_httpd_status
 # ------------------------- CONFIGURATION starts here -------------------------
 typeset _HTTPD_INIT_SCRIPT="/etc/init.d/httpd"
 typeset _HTTPD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE="httpd.service"
-typeset _VERSION="2018-05-21"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
+typeset _VERSION="2018-11-18"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
 typeset _SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS="Linux"                    # uname -s match
 # ------------------------- CONFIGURATION ends here ---------------------------
 
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ typeset _SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS="Linux"                    # uname -s match
 init_hc "$0" "${_SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS}" "${_VERSION}"
 typeset _ARGS=$(data_space2comma "$*")
 typeset _ARG=""
+typeset _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=0
 typeset _HTTPD_BIN=""
 typeset _MSG=""
 typeset _STC=0
@@ -65,7 +67,14 @@ done
 linux_get_init
 case "${LINUX_INIT}" in
     'systemd')
-        systemctl --quiet is-active ${_HTTPD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+        _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=$(linux_has_systemd_service "${_HTTPD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}")
+        if (( _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE > 0 ))
+        then
+            systemctl --quiet is-active ${_HTTPD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+        else
+            warn "systemd unit file not found {${_HTTPD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}}"
+            _RC=1
+        fi
         ;;
     'upstart')
         warn "code for upstart managed systems not implemented, NOOP"
diff --git a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_named_status.sh b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_named_status.sh
index aea5e86..c1c5678 100644
--- a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_named_status.sh
+++ b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_named_status.sh
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 # @(#) 2013-12-01: initial version [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # @(#) 2017-05-08: fix fall-back for sysv->pgrep [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # @(#) 2018-05-21: STDERR fixes [Patrick Van der Veken]
+# @(#) 2018-11-18: add linux_has_systemd_service() [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # DO NOT CHANGE THIS FILE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
 #******************************************************************************
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@
 function check_linux_named_status
 {
 # ------------------------- CONFIGURATION starts here -------------------------
-typeset _VERSION="2018-05-21"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
+typeset _VERSION="2018-11-18"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
 typeset _SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS="Linux"                    # uname -s match
 # ------------------------- CONFIGURATION ends here ---------------------------
 
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ typeset _ARGS=$(data_space2comma "$*")
 typeset _ARG=""
 typeset _MSG=""
 typeset _STC=0
+typeset _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=0
 typeset _NAMED_CHECKCONF_BIN=""
 typeset _NAMED_INIT_SCRIPT=""
 typeset _NAMED_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=""
@@ -76,7 +78,14 @@ esac
 linux_get_init
 case "${LINUX_INIT}" in
     'systemd')
-        systemctl --quiet is-active ${_NAMED_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+        _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=$(linux_has_systemd_service "${_NAMED_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}")
+        if (( _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE > 0 ))
+        then
+            systemctl --quiet is-active ${_NAMED_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+        else
+            warn "systemd unit file not found {${_NAMED_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}}"
+            _RC=1
+        fi
         ;;
     'upstart')
         warn "code for upstart managed systems not implemented, NOOP"
diff --git a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_ntp_status.sh b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_ntp_status.sh
index 47cb95d..1f1f9b5 100644
--- a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_ntp_status.sh
+++ b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_ntp_status.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 # @(#) 2018-10-28: fixed (linter) errors [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # @(#) 2018-10-31: added support for chronyd, --dump-logs
 # @(#)             & --log-healthy [Patrick Van der Veken]
+# @(#) 2018-11-18: add linux_has_systemd_service() [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # DO NOT CHANGE THIS FILE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
 #------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -40,7 +41,7 @@ typeset _CHRONY_INIT_SCRIPT="/etc/init.d/chrony"
 typeset _NTPD_INIT_SCRIPT="/etc/init.d/ntpd"
 typeset _CHRONYD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE="chronyd.service"
 typeset _NTPD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE="ntpd.service"
-typeset _VERSION="2018-10-31"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
+typeset _VERSION="2018-11-18"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
 typeset _SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS="Linux"                    # uname -s match
 typeset _CHRONYC_BIN="/bin/chronyc"
 typeset _NTPQ_BIN="/usr/sbin/ntpq"
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ typeset _MSG=""
 typeset _STC=0
 typeset _CFG_HEALTHY=""
 typeset _LOG_HEALTHY=0
+typeset _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=0
 typeset _CURR_OFFSET=0
 typeset _MAX_OFFSET=0
 typeset _NTP_PEER=""
@@ -135,9 +137,23 @@ case "${LINUX_INIT}" in
     'systemd')
         if (( _USE_CHRONYD > 0 ))
         then
-            systemctl --quiet is-active ${_CHRONYD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+            _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=$(linux_has_systemd_service "${_CHRONYD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}")
+            if (( _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE > 0 ))
+            then
+                systemctl --quiet is-active ${_CHRONYD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+            else
+                warn "systemd unit file not found {${_CHRONYD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}}"
+                _RC=1
+            fi
         else
-            systemctl --quiet is-active ${_NTPD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+            _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=$(linux_has_systemd_service "${_NTPD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}")
+            if (( _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE > 0 ))
+            then
+                systemctl --quiet is-active ${_NTPD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+            else
+                warn "systemd unit file not found {${_NTPD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}}"
+                _RC=1
+            fi
         fi
         ;;
     'upstart')
diff --git a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_postfix_status.sh b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_postfix_status.sh
index 5d9ccf6..780c9ec 100644
--- a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_postfix_status.sh
+++ b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_postfix_status.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 # @(#) 2017-05-08: suppress errors on postfix call + fix fall-back
 # @(#)             for sysv->pgrep[Patrick Van der Veken]
 # @(#) 2018-05-21: STDERR fixes [Patrick Van der Veken]
+# @(#) 2018-11-18: add linux_has_systemd_service() [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # DO NOT CHANGE THIS FILE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
 #******************************************************************************
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ function check_linux_postfix_status
 # ------------------------- CONFIGURATION starts here -------------------------
 typeset _POSTFIX_INIT_SCRIPT="/etc/init.d/postfix"
 typeset _POSTFIX_SYSTEMD_SERVICE="postfix.service"
-typeset _VERSION="2018-05-21"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
+typeset _VERSION="2018-11-18"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
 typeset _SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS="Linux"                    # uname -s match
 # ------------------------- CONFIGURATION ends here ---------------------------
 
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ typeset _POSTFIX_BIN=""
 typeset _MSG=""
 typeset _STC=0
 typeset _RC=0
+typeset _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=0
 
 # handle arguments (originally comma-separated)
 for _ARG in ${_ARGS}
@@ -64,7 +66,14 @@ done
 linux_get_init
 case "${LINUX_INIT}" in
     'systemd')
-        systemctl --quiet is-active ${_POSTFIX_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+        _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=$(linux_has_systemd_service "${_POSTFIX_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}")
+        if (( _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE > 0 ))
+        then
+            systemctl --quiet is-active ${_POSTFIX_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+        else
+            warn "systemd unit file not found {${_POSTFIX_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}}"
+            _RC=1
+        fi
         ;;
     'upstart')
         warn "code for upstart managed systems not implemented, NOOP"
diff --git a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_samba_status.sh b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_samba_status.sh
index b9d571b..7198414 100644
--- a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_samba_status.sh
+++ b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_samba_status.sh
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 # @(#) 2017-05-08: fix fall-back for sysv->pgrep [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # @(#) 2017-07-23: fix for systemd service names [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # @(#) 2018-05-21: STDERR fixes [Patrick Van der Veken]
+# @(#) 2018-11-18: add linux_has_systemd_service() [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # DO NOT CHANGE THIS FILE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
 #******************************************************************************
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ function check_linux_samba_status
 typeset _SMB_INIT_SCRIPT="/etc/init.d/samba"
 typeset _SMB_SYSTEMD_SERVICE="smb.service"
 typeset _NMB_SYSTEMD_SERVICE="nmb.service"
-typeset _VERSION="2018-05-21"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
+typeset _VERSION="2018-11-18"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
 typeset _SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS="Linux"                    # uname -s match
 # ------------------------- CONFIGURATION ends here ---------------------------
 
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ typeset _ARG=""
 typeset _MSG=""
 typeset _STC=0
 typeset _RC=0
+typeset _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=0
 
 # handle arguments (originally comma-separated)
 for _ARG in ${_ARGS}
@@ -66,9 +68,23 @@ linux_get_init
 case "${LINUX_INIT}" in
     'systemd')
         # check running NMB
-        systemctl --quiet is-active ${_NMB_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+        _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=$(linux_has_systemd_service "${_NMB_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}")
+        if (( _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE > 0 ))
+        then
+            systemctl --quiet is-active ${_NMB_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+        else
+            warn "systemd unit file not found {${_NMB_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}}"
+            _RC=1
+        fi
         # check running SMB
-        systemctl --quiet is-active ${_SMB_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=$(( _STC + 2 ))
+        _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=$(linux_has_systemd_service "${_SMB_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}")
+        if (( _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE > 0 ))
+        then
+            systemctl --quiet is-active ${_SMB_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=$(( _STC + 2 ))
+        else
+            warn "systemd unit file not found {${_SMB_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}}"
+            _RC=1
+        fi
         ;;
     'upstart')
         warn "code for upstart managed systems not implemented, NOOP"
diff --git a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_sshd_status.sh b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_sshd_status.sh
index 91698c7..58239f7 100644
--- a/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_sshd_status.sh
+++ b/sources/lib/platform/linux/check_linux_sshd_status.sh
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 # @(#) 2017-05-05: fix fall-back for sysv->pgrep [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # @(#) 2017-05-08: set init/systemd based on distro [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # @(#) 2018-05-21: STDERR fixes [Patrick Van der Veken]
+# @(#) 2018-11-18: add linux_has_systemd_service() [Patrick Van der Veken]
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # DO NOT CHANGE THIS FILE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!
 #******************************************************************************
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@
 function check_linux_sshd_status
 {
 # ------------------------- CONFIGURATION starts here -------------------------
-typeset _VERSION="2018-05-21"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
+typeset _VERSION="2018-11-18"                           # YYYY-MM-DD
 typeset _SUPPORTED_PLATFORMS="Linux"                    # uname -s match
 # ------------------------- CONFIGURATION ends here ---------------------------
 
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ typeset _ARG=""
 typeset _MSG=""
 typeset _SSHD_INIT_SCRIPT=""
 typeset _SSHD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=""
+typeset _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=0
 typeset _STC=0
 typeset _RC=0
 
@@ -75,7 +77,14 @@ esac
 linux_get_init
 case "${LINUX_INIT}" in
     'systemd')
-        systemctl --quiet is-active ${_SSHD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+        _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE=$(linux_has_systemd_service "${_SSHD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}")
+        if (( _CHECK_SYSTEMD_SERVICE > 0 ))
+        then
+            systemctl --quiet is-active ${_SSHD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE} 2>>${HC_STDERR_LOG} || _STC=1
+        else
+            warn "systemd unit file not found {${_SSHD_SYSTEMD_SERVICE}}"
+            _RC=1
+        fi
         ;;
     'upstart')
         warn "code for upstart managed systems not implemented, NOOP"