diff --git a/src/bootloaders/shim-systemd.c b/src/bootloaders/shim-systemd.c
index 06a9d11..a600d18 100644
--- a/src/bootloaders/shim-systemd.c
+++ b/src/bootloaders/shim-systemd.c
@@ -126,10 +126,9 @@ static bool shim_systemd_remove_kernel(const BootManager *manager, const Kernel
 }
 
 static bool shim_systemd_set_default_kernel(const BootManager *manager, const Kernel *kernel) {
-        (void)manager;
-        (void)kernel;
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s is not implemented\n", __func__);
-        return true;
+        /* this writes systemd config. systemd has the configuration paths
+         * hardcoded, hence whatever sd_class is doing is OK. */
+        return sd_class_set_default_kernel_impl(manager, kernel, NULL);
 }
 
 static bool exists_identical(const char *path, const char *spath) {
diff --git a/src/bootloaders/systemd-class.c b/src/bootloaders/systemd-class.c
index 85ad830..b5efa62 100644
--- a/src/bootloaders/systemd-class.c
+++ b/src/bootloaders/systemd-class.c
@@ -300,13 +300,14 @@ bool sd_class_remove_kernel(const BootManager *manager, const Kernel *kernel)
         return true;
 }
 
-bool sd_class_set_default_kernel(const BootManager *manager, const Kernel *kernel)
+bool sd_class_set_default_kernel_impl(const BootManager *manager, const Kernel *kernel,
+                bool (*ensure_layout)(const BootManager *))
 {
         if (!manager) {
                 return false;
         }
 
-        if (!sd_class_ensure_dirs(manager)) {
+        if (ensure_layout && !ensure_layout(manager)) {
                 LOG_FATAL("Failed to create required directories for %s", sd_config->name);
                 return false;
         }
@@ -366,6 +367,10 @@ write_config:
         return true;
 }
 
+bool sd_class_set_default_kernel(const BootManager *manager, const Kernel *kernel) {
+    return sd_class_set_default_kernel_impl(manager, kernel, sd_class_ensure_dirs);
+}
+
 bool sd_class_needs_install(const BootManager *manager)
 {
         if (!manager) {
diff --git a/src/bootloaders/systemd-class.h b/src/bootloaders/systemd-class.h
index 6347096..5003039 100644
--- a/src/bootloaders/systemd-class.h
+++ b/src/bootloaders/systemd-class.h
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ bool sd_class_remove_kernel(const BootManager *manager, const Kernel *kernel);
 
 bool sd_class_set_default_kernel(const BootManager *manager, const Kernel *kernel);
 
+bool sd_class_set_default_kernel_impl(const BootManager *manager, const Kernel *kernel,
+                bool (*ensure_layout)(const BootManager *));
+
 bool sd_class_needs_install(const BootManager *manager);
 
 bool sd_class_needs_update(const BootManager *manager);