diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index b1d92dafad..9fa240cc4e 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ Bugfixes:
 
 Features:
 
+* introduce $container_boot_id
+
 * wall messages for shutdown should move to logind
 
 * remove wants from journald.service
diff --git a/units/systemd-journald.service.in b/units/systemd-journald.service.in
index 366655bfc5..cfbcda2f65 100644
--- a/units/systemd-journald.service.in
+++ b/units/systemd-journald.service.in
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ DefaultDependencies=no
 Wants=systemd-journal-flush.service
 Requires=systemd-journald.socket
 After=systemd-journald.socket syslog.socket
+Before=sysinit.target
 
 [Service]
 ExecStart=@rootlibexecdir@/systemd-journald