diff --git a/ksplash/ksplashqml/CMakeLists.txt b/ksplash/ksplashqml/CMakeLists.txt
index dc6b35ba6..624ecac82 100644
--- a/ksplash/ksplashqml/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/ksplash/ksplashqml/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -23,3 +23,4 @@ target_link_libraries(ksplashqml
 install(TARGETS ksplashqml ${KDE_INSTALL_TARGETS_DEFAULT_ARGS})
 install(FILES org.kde.KSplash.xml DESTINATION ${KDE_INSTALL_DBUSINTERFACEDIR})
 
+ecm_install_configured_files(INPUT plasma-ksplash.service.in @ONLY DESTINATION  ${SYSTEMD_USER_UNIT_INSTALL_DIR})
diff --git a/ksplash/ksplashqml/plasma-ksplash.service.in b/ksplash/ksplashqml/plasma-ksplash.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..95bea6c19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ksplash/ksplashqml/plasma-ksplash.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Splash screen shown during boot
+PartOf=graphical-session.target
+After=plasma-kwin_wayland.service
+
+[Service]
+ExecStart=@CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_BINDIR@/ksplashqml
+Type=oneshot
+Slice=background.slice
+TimeoutSec=40sec
diff --git a/ksplash/ksplashqml/splashapp.cpp b/ksplash/ksplashqml/splashapp.cpp
index 48ab32e7e..3933efcc3 100644
--- a/ksplash/ksplashqml/splashapp.cpp
+++ b/ksplash/ksplashqml/splashapp.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@
 
 #include <KQuickAddons/QtQuickSettings>
 #include <KWindowSystem>
+
+#include <KConfigGroup>
+#include <KSharedConfig>
+
 #include <LayerShellQt/Shell>
 
 #define TEST_STEP_INTERVAL 2000
@@ -53,6 +57,12 @@ SplashApp::SplashApp(int &argc, char **argv)
     m_testing = parser.isSet(QStringLiteral("test"));
     m_window = parser.isSet(QStringLiteral("window"));
     m_theme = parser.positionalArguments().value(0);
+    if (m_theme.isEmpty()) {
+        KConfigGroup ksplashCfg = KSharedConfig::openConfig()->group("KSplash");
+        if (ksplashCfg.readEntry("Engine", QStringLiteral("KSplashQML")) == QLatin1String("KSplashQML")) {
+            m_theme = ksplashCfg.readEntry("Theme", QStringLiteral("Breeze"));
+        }
+    }
 
     QDBusConnection dbus = QDBusConnection::sessionBus();
     dbus.registerObject(QStringLiteral("/KSplash"), this, QDBusConnection::ExportScriptableSlots);
diff --git a/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp b/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp
index 8ca22f13a..d64c7bdec 100644
--- a/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp
+++ b/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ Startup::Startup(QObject *parent)
         // the splashscreen and progress indicator
         KConfigGroup ksplashCfg = cfg.group("KSplash");
         if (ksplashCfg.readEntry("Engine", QStringLiteral("KSplashQML")) == QLatin1String("KSplashQML")) {
-            QProcess::startDetached(QStringLiteral("ksplashqml"), {ksplashCfg.readEntry("Theme", QStringLiteral("Breeze"))});
+            QProcess::startDetached(QStringLiteral("ksplashqml"), {});
         }
         // FIXME 1: this code path is missing setupFontDpi() after X has started. Move to kcminit?
         // FIXME 2: the systemd path has no concept of kslpash
diff --git a/startkde/startplasma.cpp b/startkde/startplasma.cpp
index c622e024e..afab505ba 100644
--- a/startkde/startplasma.cpp
+++ b/startkde/startplasma.cpp
@@ -540,6 +540,21 @@ bool useSystemdBoot()
     return hasSystemdService(QStringLiteral("xdg-desktop-autostart.target"));
 }
 
+void startKSplashViaSystemd()
+{
+    const KConfig cfg(QStringLiteral("ksplashrc"));
+    // the splashscreen and progress indicator
+    KConfigGroup ksplashCfg = cfg.group("KSplash");
+    if (ksplashCfg.readEntry("Engine", QStringLiteral("KSplashQML")) == QLatin1String("KSplashQML")) {
+        auto msg = QDBusMessage::createMethodCall(QStringLiteral("org.freedesktop.systemd1"),
+                                                  QStringLiteral("/org/freedesktop/systemd1"),
+                                                  QStringLiteral("org.freedesktop.systemd1.Manager"),
+                                                  QStringLiteral("StartUnit"));
+        msg << QStringLiteral("plasma-ksplash.service") << QStringLiteral("fail");
+        QDBusReply<QDBusObjectPath> reply = QDBusConnection::sessionBus().call(msg);
+    }
+}
+
 bool startPlasmaSession(bool wayland)
 {
     resetSystemdFailedUnits();
@@ -628,6 +643,9 @@ bool startPlasmaSession(bool wayland)
         } else {
             playStartupSound(&e);
         }
+        if (wayland) {
+            startKSplashViaSystemd();
+        }
     }
     if (rc) {
         QObject::connect(QCoreApplication::instance(), &QCoreApplication::aboutToQuit, &e, &QEventLoop::quit);