diff --git a/roles/ejabberd/tasks/main.yml b/roles/ejabberd/tasks/main.yml
index ec78415ae..b24effe2e 100644
--- a/roles/ejabberd/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/ejabberd/tasks/main.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@
     - { src: 'ejabberd.tmpfiles', dest: '/etc/tmpfiles.d/ejabberd.conf', mode: '0640' }
   register: ejabberd_config
 
+- name: Stop and disable OS provided systemd ejabberd service
+  service: name=ejabberd
+           state=stopped
+           enabled=no
+
 - name: Put the startup script in place - debian
   template: src='ejabberd-iiab.init'
             dest='/etc/init.d/ejabberd-iiab'