diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/README.rst b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/README.rst
index bc1253a08..f7bd9eb85 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/README.rst
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/README.rst
@@ -11,4 +11,6 @@ setting can be found in the element's ``environment.d`` directory in
 the variable ``DIB_RELEASE``.  If a different release of Debian should
 be created, the variable ``DIB_RELEASE`` can be set appropriately.
 
+Note that this element installs ``systemd-sysv`` as the init system
+
 .. element_deps::
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/package-installs.yaml b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/package-installs.yaml
index 9e08e6a5d..bc0d6838e 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/package-installs.yaml
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/package-installs.yaml
@@ -2,5 +2,3 @@ linux-image-amd64:
   arch: amd64
 linux-image-686:
   arch: i386
-systemd:
-systemd-sysv:
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/pkg-map b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/pkg-map
deleted file mode 100644
index 281ae60d5..000000000
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/pkg-map
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,14 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "release": {
-    "debian": {
-      "testing": {
-        "systemd": "systemd",
-        "systemd-sysv": "systemd-sysv"
-       }
-     }
-   },
-  "default": {
-    "systemd": "",
-    "systemd-sysv": ""
-  }
-}
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/root.d/75-debian-minimal-baseinstall b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/root.d/75-debian-minimal-baseinstall
index 7c967e699..ceb51bf11 100755
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/root.d/75-debian-minimal-baseinstall
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-minimal/root.d/75-debian-minimal-baseinstall
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+# dib-lint: disable=safe_sudo
+
 if [ ${DIB_DEBUG_TRACE:-0} -gt 0 ]; then
     set -x
 fi
@@ -54,13 +56,23 @@ $apt_get update
 $apt_get clean
 $apt_get dist-upgrade -y
 
-$apt_get install -y busybox sudo
+to_install=""
+
+# pre-stretch (9.0) brought this in via debootstrap, but init
+# dependencies have narrowed in the container world, so now we add it
+# explicitly here so it's brought in early.
+to_install+="systemd-sysv "
+
+# default required
+to_install+="busybox sudo "
 
 if [ "$DIB_PYTHON_VERSION" == "2" ]; then
-    $apt_get install -y python
+    to_install+="python "
 elif [ "$DIB_PYTHON_VERSION" == "3" ]; then
-    $apt_get install -y python3
+    to_install+="python3 "
 else
     echo "ERROR: DIB_PYTHON_VERSION is '$DIB_PYTHON_VERSION' but needs to be 2 or 3"
     exit 1
 fi
+
+$apt_get install -y $to_install
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-systemd/README.rst b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-systemd/README.rst
index 59623a2bd..016531992 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-systemd/README.rst
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-systemd/README.rst
@@ -4,4 +4,7 @@ debian-systemd
 You may want to use `systemd` instead of the classic sysv init system.
 In this case, include this element in your element list.
 
+Note that this works with the ``debian`` element, not the
+``debian-minimal`` element.
+
 .. element_deps::
diff --git a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-upstart/README.rst b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-upstart/README.rst
index 73a612954..64aaaab39 100644
--- a/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-upstart/README.rst
+++ b/diskimage_builder/elements/debian-upstart/README.rst
@@ -5,4 +5,7 @@ By default Debian will use sysvinit for booting. If you want to experiment
 with Upstart, or have need of it due to a need for upstart jobs, this
 element will build the image with upstart as the init system.
 
+Note that this works with the ``debian`` element, not the
+``debian-minimal`` element.
+
 .. element_deps::