diff --git a/src/confd/src/confd/ietf-system.c b/src/confd/src/confd/ietf-system.c
index abe698d2..5cbca005 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/confd/ietf-system.c
+++ b/src/confd/src/confd/ietf-system.c
@@ -1044,12 +1044,15 @@ static int change_hostname(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t sub_id, const cha
 		free(hosts);
 	free(current);
 
-	/* skip in bootstrap, daemons not started yet*/
-	if (!systemf("runlevel >/dev/null 2>&1")) {
-		/* Inform any running lldpd and avahi of the change ... */
-		systemf("lldpcli configure system hostname %s", nm);
-		systemf("avahi-set-host-name %s", nm);
+	if (err) {
+		ERROR("failed setting hostname");
+		err = SR_ERR_SYS;
+		goto err;
 	}
+
+	/* Inform any running lldpd and avahi of the change ... */
+	systemf("lldpcli configure system hostname %s", nm);
+	systemf("avahi-set-host-name %s", nm);
 err:
 	if (nm)
 		free(nm);