diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 972f671f..ad81be40 100755
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -167,6 +167,8 @@ install: precheck
 	  $(SM_STAGING)/$(SYSTEMD_SERVICE_DIR)
 	install -m 644 systemd/sr_health_check.timer \
 	  $(SM_STAGING)/$(SYSTEMD_SERVICE_DIR)
+	install -m 644 systemd/SMGC@.service \
+	  $(SM_STAGING)/$(SYSTEMD_SERVICE_DIR)
 	for i in $(UDEV_RULES); do \
 	  install -m 644 udev/$$i.rules \
 	    $(SM_STAGING)$(UDEV_RULES_DIR); done
diff --git a/drivers/FileSR.py b/drivers/FileSR.py
index cceecc02..ba9b1863 100755
--- a/drivers/FileSR.py
+++ b/drivers/FileSR.py
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ def _process_replay(self, data):
 
     def _kickGC(self):
         util.SMlog("Kicking GC")
-        cleanup.start_gc(self.session, self.uuid)
+        cleanup.start_gc_service(self.uuid)
 
     def _isbind(self):
         # os.path.ismount can't deal with bind mount
diff --git a/drivers/LVHDSR.py b/drivers/LVHDSR.py
index 2c7bec15..c710790c 100755
--- a/drivers/LVHDSR.py
+++ b/drivers/LVHDSR.py
@@ -892,7 +892,7 @@ def _handleInterruptedCoalesceLeaf(self):
         entries = self.journaler.getAll(cleanup.VDI.JRN_LEAF)
         if len(entries) > 0:
             util.SMlog("*** INTERRUPTED COALESCE-LEAF OP DETECTED ***")
-            cleanup.gc_force(self.session, self.uuid)
+            cleanup.start_gc_service(self.uuid)
             self.lvmCache.refresh()
 
     def _handleInterruptedCloneOp(self, origUuid, jval, forceUndo=False):
@@ -1290,7 +1290,7 @@ def _prepareTestMode(self):
 
     def _kickGC(self):
         util.SMlog("Kicking GC")
-        cleanup.start_gc(self.session, self.uuid)
+        cleanup.start_gc_service(self.uuid)
 
     def ensureCBTSpace(self):
         # Ensure we have space for at least one LV
diff --git a/drivers/cleanup.py b/drivers/cleanup.py
index 6f9917b7..6c9c356b 100755
--- a/drivers/cleanup.py
+++ b/drivers/cleanup.py
@@ -3206,6 +3206,10 @@ def gc(session, srUuid, inBackground, dryRun=False):
 
 
 def start_gc(session, sr_uuid):
+    """
+    This function is used to try to start a backgrounded GC session by forking
+    the current process. If using the systemd version, call start_gc_service() instead.
+    """
     # don't bother if an instance already running (this is just an
     # optimization to reduce the overhead of forking a new process if we
     # don't have to, but the process will check the lock anyways)
@@ -3230,6 +3234,16 @@ def start_gc(session, sr_uuid):
     subprocess.run([__file__, '-b', '-u', sr_uuid, '-g'],
                    stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, close_fds=True)
 
+def start_gc_service(sr_uuid):
+    """
+    This starts the templated systemd service which runs GC on the given SR UUID.
+    If the service was already started, this is a no-op.
+    """
+    sr_uuid_esc = sr_uuid.replace("-", "\\x2d")
+    util.SMlog(f"Kicking SMGC@{sr_uuid}...")
+    subprocess.run(["/usr/bin/systemctl", "--quiet", "--no-block", "start", f"SMGC@{sr_uuid_esc}"],
+                   stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, close_fds=True)
+
 
 def gc_force(session, srUuid, force=False, dryRun=False, lockSR=False):
     """Garbage collect all deleted VDIs in SR "srUuid". The caller must ensure
diff --git a/mk/sm.spec.in b/mk/sm.spec.in
index dc7661d3..faee7bf1 100755
--- a/mk/sm.spec.in
+++ b/mk/sm.spec.in
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ tests/run_python_unittests.sh
 %{_unitdir}/usb-scan.socket
 %{_unitdir}/mpathcount.service
 %{_unitdir}/mpathcount.socket
+%{_unitdir}/SMGC@.service
 %config /etc/udev/rules.d/65-multipath.rules
 %config /etc/udev/rules.d/55-xs-mpath-scsidev.rules
 %config /etc/udev/rules.d/58-xapi.rules
diff --git a/systemd/SMGC@.service b/systemd/SMGC@.service
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..54ab1b7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/systemd/SMGC@.service
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Garbage Collector for SR %I
+DefaultDependencies=no
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+Restart=no
+ExecStart=/opt/xensource/sm/cleanup.py -g -u %I
+# This is the default, but just to make it clear we may run this
+# service multiple times. When running, it will show as "activating";
+# when not running, it will show as "dead"
+RemainAfterExit=no