diff --git a/dnf5.spec b/dnf5.spec
index f7a217c84..a74ab4f02 100644
--- a/dnf5.spec
+++ b/dnf5.spec
@@ -167,6 +167,10 @@ BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(zck) >= %{zchunk_version}
 %if %{with systemd}
 BuildRequires:  pkgconfig(sdbus-c++) >= 0.8.1
 BuildRequires:  systemd-devel
+
+ # We need to get the SYSTEMD_SYSTEM_UNIT_DIR from
+ # /usr/share/pkgconfig/systemd.pc
+BuildRequires:  systemd
 %endif
 
 %if %{with html} || %{with man}
diff --git a/dnf5/CMakeLists.txt b/dnf5/CMakeLists.txt
index 4b7ba6eed..47f911e4f 100644
--- a/dnf5/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/dnf5/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@ if(NOT WITH_DNF5)
     return()
 endif()
 
-pkg_check_modules(SYSTEMD REQUIRED systemd)
-pkg_get_variable(SYSTEMD_SYSTEM_UNIT_DIR systemd systemdsystemunitdir)
 
 find_package(Threads)
 
@@ -59,6 +57,8 @@ install(DIRECTORY "config/usr/" DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX}" PATTERN ".
 install(DIRECTORY "config/etc/" DESTINATION "${CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_SYSCONFDIR}" PATTERN ".gitkeep" EXCLUDE)
 
 if(WITH_SYSTEMD)
+  pkg_check_modules(SYSTEMD REQUIRED systemd)
+  pkg_get_variable(SYSTEMD_SYSTEM_UNIT_DIR systemd systemdsystemunitdir)
   install(DIRECTORY "config/systemd/system/" DESTINATION "${SYSTEMD_SYSTEM_UNIT_DIR}" PATTERN ".gitkeep" EXCLUDE)
 endif()