diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 973bf8d..58c8c3f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -124,6 +124,9 @@ db2::install { '11.1':
 * `instance_user_uid`: UID of the instance user
 * `instance_user_gid`: GID of the instance user 
 * `instance_user_home`: Home directory of the instance user
+* `manage_service`: Whether or not to manage the service for the instance (default: false)
+* `service_enable`: If the service is managed, whether or not it should be registered for startup on server start (default: true)
+* `service_ensure`: If the service is managed, whether or not puppet should make sure it is running (default: undef)
 * `type`: Type of product this instance is for (default: ese)
 * `auth`: Type of auth for this instance (default: server)
 * `users_forcelocal`: Force the creation of instance and fence users to be local, true or false. (default: undef)
diff --git a/manifests/init.pp b/manifests/init.pp
index 7cf3c1a..063602b 100644
--- a/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/manifests/init.pp
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
   $instances     = {},
   $workspace     = '/var/puppet_db2',
 ) {
-
   ensure_resource('file', $workspace, { 'ensure' => 'directory' })
 
   create_resources('db2::install', $installations)
@@ -22,5 +21,10 @@
 
   Db2::Install<||> -> Db2::Instance<||>
 
+  exec{'db2_systemd_daemon_reload':
+    command     => '/usr/bin/systemctl daemon-reload',
+    refreshonly => true,
+  }
+
 }
 
diff --git a/manifests/instance.pp b/manifests/instance.pp
index 2588a24..6faa6c5 100644
--- a/manifests/instance.pp
+++ b/manifests/instance.pp
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@
   $instance_user        = $name,
   $manage_fence_user    = true,
   $manage_instance_user = true,
+  $manage_service       = false,
+  $service_ensure       = undef,
+  $service_enable       = true,
   $fence_user_uid       = undef,
   $fence_user_gid       = undef,
   $fence_user_home      = undef,
@@ -46,6 +49,37 @@
     }
   }
 
+  if $manage_service {
+    if $instance_user_home == undef{
+      fail('Please set instance_user_home in order to manage the db2 service instance')
+    }
+
+    $instance_service = "db2_${name}.service"
+
+    file{"/etc/systemd/system/${instance_service}":
+      ensure  => present,
+      content => template('db2/db2_instance.service.erb'),
+      owner   => 'root',
+      group   => 'root',
+      mode    => '0644',
+      notify  => Exec['db2_systemd_daemon_reload'],
+    }
+
+    service{$instance_service:
+      ensure    => $service_ensure,
+      enable    => $service_enable,
+      subscribe => [
+        Exec['db2_systemd_daemon_reload'],
+        Db2_instance[$instance_user],
+      ],
+      require   => [
+        Db2_catalog_node[keys($catalog_nodes)],
+        Db2_catalog_database[keys($catalog_databases)],
+        Db2_catalog_dcs[keys($catalog_dcs)],
+      ],
+    }
+  }
+
   db2_instance { $instance_user:
     install_root => $installation_root,
     fence_user   => $fence_user,
diff --git a/templates/db2_instance.service.erb b/templates/db2_instance.service.erb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..43c6c80
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/db2_instance.service.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+[Unit]
+ Description=DB2 Database Instance <%= @name %>
+ After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+ Type=forking
+ User=<%= @instance_user_uid || @instance_user %>
+<%- if @instance_user_gid -%>
+ Group=<%= @instance_user_gid %>
+<%- end -%>
+ StandardOutput=syslog
+ StandardError=syslog
+ SyslogIdentifier=db2
+ ExecStart=<%= File.join(@instance_user_home, 'sqllib/adm/db2start') %>
+ ExecStop=<%= File.join(@instance_user_home, 'sqllib/adm/db2stop') %>
+ Environment="DB2INSTANCE=<%= @name %>"
+ Environment="DB2LIB=<%= File.join(@instance_user_home, 'sqllib/lib') %>"
+ Environment="DB2_HOME=<%= File.join(@instance_user_home, 'sqllib') %>"
+ Restart=always
+
+[Install]
+ WantedBy=multi-user.target
+