diff --git a/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-httpd.service b/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-httpd.service
index 6b902da60..79417534f 100644
--- a/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-httpd.service
+++ b/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-httpd.service
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=GNU Taler payment system exchange REST API
-Requires=taler-exchange-rundir.service taler-exchange-httpd.socket taler-exchange-secmod-rsa.service taler-exchange-secmod-eddsa.service
+AssertPathExists=/run/taler-exchange
+Requires=taler-exchange-httpd.socket taler-exchange-secmod-rsa.service taler-exchange-secmod-eddsa.service
 Wants=taler-exchange-wirewatch.service taler-exchange-aggregator.service taler-exchange-transfer.service
 After=postgres.service network.target
 
diff --git a/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-secmod-eddsa.service b/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-secmod-eddsa.service
index a6e59f6ae..ae8f19cc4 100644
--- a/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-secmod-eddsa.service
+++ b/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-secmod-eddsa.service
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=GNU Taler payment system exchange EdDSA security module
-Requires=taler-exchange-rundir.service
+AssertPathExists=/run/taler-exchange
 
 [Service]
 User=taler-exchange-secmod-eddsa
diff --git a/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-secmod-rsa.service b/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-secmod-rsa.service
index b0c6d414b..d2cde6dfd 100644
--- a/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-secmod-rsa.service
+++ b/debian/taler-exchange.taler-exchange-secmod-rsa.service
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [Unit]
 Description=GNU Taler payment system exchange RSA security module
-Requires=taler-exchange-rundir.service
+AssertPathExists=/run/taler-exchange
 
 [Service]
 User=taler-exchange-secmod-rsa