diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
index bd1ec36ae3..fa3d8d7df1 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-classes.xml
@@ -2027,6 +2027,56 @@
     </para>
 </section>
 
+<section id='ref-classes-systemd'>
+    <title><filename>systemd.bbclass</filename></title>
+
+    <para>
+        The <filename>systemd</filename> class provides support for recipes
+        that install <filename>systemd</filename> unit files.
+    </para>
+
+    <para>
+        The functionality for this class is disabled unless you have "systemd"
+        in
+        <link linkend='var-DISTRO_FEATURES'><filename>DISTRO_FEATURES</filename></link>.
+    </para>
+
+    <para>
+        Under this class, unit files are installed into
+        <filename>${</filename><link linkend='var-D'><filename>D</filename></link><filename>}${systemd_unitdir}/system</filename>
+        during the <filename>do_install</filename> task.
+        If the unit files being installed go into packages other than the
+        main package, you need to set
+        <link linkend='var-SYSTEMD_PACKAGES'><filename>SYSTEMD_PACKAGES</filename></link>
+        in your recipe to identify the packages in which the files will be
+        installed.
+    </para>
+
+    <para>
+        You should set
+        <link linkend='var-SYSTEMD_SERVICE'><filename>SYSTEMD_SERVICE</filename></link>
+        to the name of the service file.
+        You should also use a package name override to indicate the package
+        to which the value applies.
+        If the value applies to the recipe's main package, use
+        <filename>${</filename><link linkend='var-PN'><filename>PN</filename></link><filename>}</filename>.
+        Here is an example from the connman recipe:
+        <literallayout class='monospaced'>
+     SYSTEMD_SERVICE_${PN} = "connman.service"
+        </literallayout>
+        Services are set up to start on boot automatically unless
+        you have set
+        <link linkend='var-SYSTEMD_AUTO_ENABLE'><filename>SYSTEMD_AUTO_ENABLE</filename></link>
+        to "disable".
+    </para>
+
+    <para>
+        For more information on <filename>systemd</filename>, see the
+        "<ulink url='&YOCTO_DOCS_DEV_URL;#selecting-an-initialization-manager'>Selecting an Initialization Manager</ulink>"
+        section in the Yocto Project Development Manual.
+    </para>
+</section>
+
 <section id='ref-classes-package_tar'>
     <title><filename>package_tar.bbclass</filename></title>
 
diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
index 049c771ea5..60e24ef565 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/ref-variables.xml
@@ -6289,6 +6289,65 @@ recipes-graphics/xorg-font/font-alias_1.0.3.bb:PR = "${INC_PR}.3"
             </glossdef>
         </glossentry>
 
+        <glossentry id='var-SYSTEMD_AUTO_ENABLE'><glossterm>SYSTEMD_AUTO_ENABLE</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    Enables and disables the <filename>systemd</filename>
+                    service manager.
+                    By default, the service is enabled to automatically start
+                    at boot time.
+                    The default setting is in the
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-systemd'><filename>systemd</filename></link>
+                    class as follows:
+                    <literallayout class='monospaced'>
+     SYSTEMD_AUTO_ENABLE ??= "enable"
+                    </literallayout>
+                    You can disable the service by setting the variable to
+                    "disable."
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
+        <glossentry id='var-SYSTEMD_PACKAGES'><glossterm>SYSTEMD_PACKAGES</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    Specifies the packages into which
+                    <filename>systemd</filename> unit files are installed
+                    when the files need to be installed into packages other
+                    than recipe's main package.
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    The
+                    <link linkend='ref-classes-systemd'><filename>systemd</filename></link>
+                    class sets <filename>SYSTEMD_PACKAGES</filename> as follows:
+                    <literallayout class='monospaced'>
+     SYSTEMD_PACKAGES ?= "${PN}"
+                    </literallayout>
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
+        <glossentry id='var-SYSTEMD_SERVICE'><glossterm>SYSTEMD_SERVICE</glossterm>
+            <glossdef>
+                <para>
+                    The service file for the <filename>systemd</filename>
+                    service manager.
+                </para>
+
+                <para>
+                    When you specify this file in your recipe, use a package
+                    name override to indicate the package to which the value
+                    applies when the value applies to a package other than
+                    the recipe's main package.
+                    Here is an example from the connman recipe:
+                    <literallayout class='monospaced'>
+     SYSTEMD_SERVICE_${PN} = "connman.service"
+                    </literallayout>
+                </para>
+            </glossdef>
+        </glossentry>
+
     </glossdiv>
 
     <glossdiv id='var-glossary-t'><title>T</title>