diff --git a/contrib/systemd/crio.service b/contrib/systemd/crio.service
index cc9fcb05a2e..3574faa9097 100644
--- a/contrib/systemd/crio.service
+++ b/contrib/systemd/crio.service
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ After=network-online.target
 Type=notify
 EnvironmentFile=-/etc/sysconfig/crio
 Environment=GOTRACEBACK=crash
-ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/crio \
+ExecStart=+/usr/local/bin/crio \
           $CRIO_CONFIG_OPTIONS \
           $CRIO_RUNTIME_OPTIONS \
           $CRIO_STORAGE_OPTIONS \
diff --git a/contrib/test/integration/build/cri-o.yml b/contrib/test/integration/build/cri-o.yml
index 2aa23e4651e..b447d41cdf1 100644
--- a/contrib/test/integration/build/cri-o.yml
+++ b/contrib/test/integration/build/cri-o.yml
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@
     regexp: '^Restart='
     line: 'Restart=no'
 
+- name: Remove prefix of ExecStart for older systemd
+  lineinfile:
+    path: "{{ ansible_env.GOPATH }}/src/github.com/cri-o/cri-o/contrib/systemd/crio.service"
+    regexp: '^ExecStart=+/usr/local/bin/crio'
+    line: 'ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/crio'
+  when: (ansible_distribution == 'RedHat' and ansible_distribution_major_version|int < 8)
+
 - name: install cri-o
   make:
     target: install