diff --git a/src/scdate/core/servicesBackend.py b/src/scdate/core/servicesBackend.py
index 196c305..b11047c 100644
--- a/src/scdate/core/servicesBackend.py
+++ b/src/scdate/core/servicesBackend.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #                      services, very much tailored to s-c-date needs, doesn't
 #                      care for xinetd services
 #
-# Copyright © 2011 Red Hat, Inc.
+# Copyright © 2011, 2014 Red Hat, Inc.
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -31,10 +31,17 @@ class AbstractServices(object):
 
     executables = ()
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def which(*candidates):
+        for c in candidates:
+            if os.access(c, os.X_OK):
+                return c
+
     @classmethod
     def check_flavor(cls):
         for exe in cls.executables:
-            if not os.access(exe, os.X_OK):
+            # which() might return None if it doesn't find a suitable candidate
+            if not (exe and os.access(exe, os.X_OK)):
                 return False
         return True
 
@@ -76,10 +83,13 @@ class AbstractServices(object):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
 
+_which = AbstractServices.which
+
+
 class SysVServices(AbstractServices):
 
-    chkconfig = "/sbin/chkconfig"
-    service = "/sbin/service"
+    chkconfig = _which("/usr/sbin/chkconfig", "/sbin/chkconfig")
+    service = _which("/usr/sbin/service", "/sbin/service")
 
     executables = (chkconfig, service)
 
@@ -123,8 +133,8 @@ class SysVServices(AbstractServices):
 
 class SystemDServices(AbstractServices):
 
-    systemctl = "/bin/systemctl"
-    systemd = "/bin/systemd"
+    systemctl = _which("/usr/bin/systemctl", "/bin/systemctl")
+    systemd = _which("/usr/lib/systemd/systemd", "/bin/systemd")
     cgroups_mount = "/sys/fs/cgroup"
     systemd_cgroups_mount = cgroups_mount + "/systemd"
     units_basedir = "/lib/systemd/system/"