diff --git a/boltd/bolt-daemon.c b/boltd/bolt-daemon.c
index ffe4690..7ed1601 100644
--- a/boltd/bolt-daemon.c
+++ b/boltd/bolt-daemon.c
@@ -28,13 +28,16 @@
 
 #include "bolt-daemon-resource.h"
 
+#ifdef SYSTEMD
 #include <systemd/sd-id128.h>
+#endif
 
 #include <gio/gio.h>
 
 #include <locale.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <inttypes.h>
 
 /* globals */
 static BoltManager *manager = NULL;
@@ -145,7 +148,9 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
   GBusType bus_type = G_BUS_TYPE_SYSTEM;
   GBusNameOwnerFlags flags;
   LogCfg log = { FALSE, };
+#ifdef SYSTEMD
   sd_id128_t logid;
+#endif
   const GOptionEntry options[] = {
     { "replace", 'r', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &replace,  "Replace old daemon.", NULL },
     { "session-bus", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, &session_bus, "Use the session bus.", NULL},
@@ -189,8 +194,16 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
       log.debug = bolt_streq (domains, "all");
     }
 
+#ifdef SYSTEMD
   sd_id128_randomize (&logid);
   sd_id128_to_string (logid, log.session_id);
+#else
+  memset(log.session_id, 0, 33);
+  for(int i=0; i < 33; i += 8) {
+    snprintf(log.session_id + i, (sizeof(uint32_t)+1), "%0" PRIx32, (uint32_t)rand());
+  }
+#endif
+  //bolt_error (LOG_ERR (error), "session %s", log.session_id);
 
   g_resources_register (bolt_daemon_get_resource ());
 
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 2c8744e..9870170 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ libudev = dependency('libudev')
 unix    = dependency('gio-unix-2.0')
 udev    = dependency('udev')
 polkit  = dependency('polkit-gobject-1')
-systemd = dependency('systemd')
-libsysd = dependency('libsystemd')
+systemd = dependency('systemd', required: false)
+libsysd = dependency('libsystemd', required: false)
 mockdev = dependency('umockdev-1.0', required: false)
 
 git     = find_program('git', required: false)
@@ -96,7 +96,11 @@ mandir = get_option('mandir')
 
 dbdir = get_option('db-path')
 udevdir = udev.get_pkgconfig_variable('udevdir')
-unitdir = systemd.get_pkgconfig_variable('systemdsystemunitdir')
+if systemd.found()
+  unitdir = systemd.get_pkgconfig_variable('systemdsystemunitdir')
+else
+  unitdir = ''
+endif
 
 version_split = meson.project_version().split('.')
 version_major = version_split[0]
@@ -264,9 +268,11 @@ unit_file = configure_file(
   configuration: subs
 )
 
-install_data(unit_file,
-  install_dir: unitdir
-)
+if unitdir != ''
+  install_data(unit_file,
+    install_dir: unitdir
+  )
+endif
 
 install_data('data/90-bolt.rules',
   install_dir: join_paths(udevdir, 'rules.d')