diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9c8d979..41804ae 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ AC_ARG_WITH([systemdsystemunitdir],
             [],
             [with_systemdsystemunitdir=$($PKG_CONFIG --variable=systemdsystemunitdir systemd)])
 AS_IF([test "x$with_systemdsystemunitdir" != "xno"], [
+  # StateDirectory was introduced in systemd 235
+  PKG_CHECK_MODULES(SYSTEMD, systemd >= 235)
   AC_SUBST([systemdsystemunitdir], [$with_systemdsystemunitdir])
 ])
 AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_SYSTEMD, [test -n "$systemdsystemunitdir"])
diff --git a/data/fprintd.service.in b/data/fprintd.service.in
index f2ebd98..9ea7a2a 100644
--- a/data/fprintd.service.in
+++ b/data/fprintd.service.in
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ ExecStart=@libexecdir@/fprintd
 ProtectSystem=strict
 ProtectKernelTunables=true
 ProtectControlGroups=true
-ReadWritePaths=/var/lib/fprint
+# This always corresponds to /var/lib/fprint
+StateDirectory=fprint
 ProtectHome=true
 PrivateTmp=true