diff --git a/check_webservice_load.sh b/check_webservice_load.sh
index 4a6717f..362cf35 100755
--- a/check_webservice_load.sh
+++ b/check_webservice_load.sh
@@ -184,13 +184,22 @@ if $check_apache ; then
       fi
    fi
 
+   APACHE_SYSTEMD_SERVICE_EXISTS=false
+   if $systemd_supported ; then
+      if $(locate apache2.service > /dev/null 2>&1) ; then
+         APACHE_SYSTEMD_SERVICE_EXISTS=true
+      fi
+   fi
+
    APACHE_INIT_SCRIPT=""
    if [ -x "/etc/init.d/apache2" ]; then
       APACHE_INIT_SCRIPT="/etc/init.d/apache2"
    elif [ -x "/etc/init.d/apachectl" ]; then
       APACHE_INIT_SCRIPT="/etc/init.d/apachectl"
-   else
-      fatal 'Cannot find init-script for Apache web server!'
+   fi
+
+   if [[ -z "$APACHE_INIT_SCRIPT" ]] && ! $APACHE_SYSTEMD_SERVICE_EXISTS ; then
+      fatal 'Neither an init-script nor a service file for apache2 found!'
    fi
 fi
 
@@ -363,7 +372,11 @@ stop_apache() {
 
    ## - Stop Apache Webservice
    ## -
-   $APACHE_INIT_SCRIPT stop > /dev/null 2>&1 
+   if $APACHE_SYSTEMD_SERVICE_EXISTS ; then
+      systemctl stop apache2 > /dev/null 2>&1
+   else
+      $APACHE_INIT_SCRIPT stop > /dev/null 2>&1 
+   fi
 
    sleep 12
 
@@ -691,7 +704,14 @@ start_apache() {
    send_msg=$1
    send_msg=${send_msg:=true}
 
-   $APACHE_INIT_SCRIPT start > /dev/null 2>&1
+
+   ## - Start Apache Webservice
+   ## -
+   if $APACHE_SYSTEMD_SERVICE_EXISTS ; then
+      systemctl start apache2 > /dev/null 2>&1
+   else
+      $APACHE_INIT_SCRIPT start > /dev/null 2>&1 
+   fi
    sleep 2
 
    NEWPID=$(ps aux | grep "$HTTPD" | grep -v grep | grep root | awk '{print$2}')