diff --git a/salt/grains/core.py b/salt/grains/core.py
index 7afcbd5cbae8..a94dff927e8a 100644
--- a/salt/grains/core.py
+++ b/salt/grains/core.py
@@ -2518,10 +2518,24 @@ def _systemd():
     """
     Return the systemd grain
     """
-    systemd_info = __salt__["cmd.run"]("systemctl --version").splitlines()
+    systemd_output = __salt__["cmd.run_all"]("systemctl --version")
+    systemd_version = "UNDEFINED"
+    systemd_features = ""
+    if systemd_output.get("retcode") == 0:
+        systemd_info = systemd_output.get("stdout", "").splitlines()
+        try:
+            if systemd_info[0].startswith("systemd "):
+                systemd_version = systemd_info[0].split()[1]
+            systemd_features = systemd_info[1]
+        except IndexError:
+            pass
+    if systemd_version == "UNDEFINED" or systemd_features == "":
+        log.error(
+            "Unexpected output returned by `systemctl --version`: %s", systemd_output
+        )
     return {
-        "version": systemd_info[0].split()[1],
-        "features": systemd_info[1],
+        "version": systemd_version,
+        "features": systemd_features,
     }