diff --git a/heka/files/heka.service b/heka/files/heka.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b95fab6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/heka/files/heka.service
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=heka - data collector and processor daemon
+After=network.target auditd.service
+ConditionPathExists=!/etc/heka/hekad_not_to_be_run
+
+[Service]
+EnvironmentFile=-/etc/default/heka
+User=heka
+Group=heka
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/hekad -config=/etc/heka/conf.d/
+ExecReload=/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID
+KillMode=process
+Restart=on-failure
+StandardError=inherit
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
+
diff --git a/heka/server.sls b/heka/server.sls
index 1da8618..e6f3930 100644
--- a/heka/server.sls
+++ b/heka/server.sls
@@ -20,6 +20,14 @@
     - pkg: heka_packages
     - file: purge-heka-conf-dir
 
+{%- if grains.os_family == 'RedHat' %}
+/usr/lib/systemd/system/heka.service:
+  file.managed:
+  - source: salt://heka/files/heka.service
+  - require:
+    - file: /etc/heka/conf.d/00-hekad.toml
+{%- endif %}
+
 heka_service:
   service.running:
   - enable: true