diff --git a/kupdatenotifier/kupdatenotifier.cpp b/kupdatenotifier/kupdatenotifier.cpp
index 83444353..e810dc18 100644
--- a/kupdatenotifier/kupdatenotifier.cpp
+++ b/kupdatenotifier/kupdatenotifier.cpp
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@
 
 // for reference:
 // https://www.freedesktop.org/software/PackageKit/gtk-doc/PackageKit.html
-#define PACKAGEKIT_SERVICE "org.freedesktop.PackageKit"
-#define PACKAGEKIT_PATH "/org/freedesktop/PackageKit"
-#define PACKAGEKIT_IFACE "org.freedesktop.PackageKit"
 
 KUpdateNotifier::KUpdateNotifier(QObject* parent)
     : KStatusNotifierItem(parent),
diff --git a/kupdatenotifier/kupdatenotifier.h b/kupdatenotifier/kupdatenotifier.h
index 3f5e1f46..230fb19f 100644
--- a/kupdatenotifier/kupdatenotifier.h
+++ b/kupdatenotifier/kupdatenotifier.h
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@
 #include <kmenu.h>
 #include <khelpmenu.h>
 
+#define PACKAGEKIT_SERVICE "org.freedesktop.PackageKit"
+#define PACKAGEKIT_PATH "/org/freedesktop/PackageKit"
+#define PACKAGEKIT_IFACE "org.freedesktop.PackageKit"
+
 class KUpdateNotifier : public KStatusNotifierItem
 {
     Q_OBJECT
diff --git a/kupdatenotifier/main.cpp b/kupdatenotifier/main.cpp
index d365b666..f341e67f 100644
--- a/kupdatenotifier/main.cpp
+++ b/kupdatenotifier/main.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
     Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA.
 */
 
+#include <QDBusConnectionInterface>
 #include <kuniqueapplication.h>
 #include <klocale.h>
 #include <kcmdlineargs.h>
@@ -48,10 +49,16 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     KUniqueApplication kupdatenotifierapp;
     kupdatenotifierapp.setQuitOnLastWindowClosed(false);
     if (!KUniqueApplication::start()) {
-        kWarning() << "kupdatenotifier is already running!";
+        kDebug() << "kupdatenotifier is already running!";
         return 0;
     }
 
+    QDBusConnectionInterface* systembusiface = QDBusConnection::systemBus().interface();
+    if (!systembusiface->isServiceRegistered(PACKAGEKIT_SERVICE)) {
+        kDebug() << "activating" << PACKAGEKIT_SERVICE;
+        systembusiface->startService(PACKAGEKIT_SERVICE);
+    }
+
     KUpdateNotifier kupdatenotifier(&kupdatenotifierapp);
 
     return kupdatenotifierapp.exec();