diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/basedeploy.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/basedeploy.py
index dcb17a3c..45654c27 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/basedeploy.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/basedeploy.py
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ import os
 from pyinfra.operations import files, server, systemd
 
 
+def has_systemd():
+    """Returns False during Docker image builds or any other non-systemd environment."""
+    return os.path.isdir("/run/systemd/system")
+
+
 def get_resource(arg, pkg=__package__):
     return importlib.resources.files(pkg).joinpath(arg)
 
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deployers.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deployers.py
index d9a549d9..c38f2dd5 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deployers.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/deployers.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from .basedeploy import (
     activate_remote_units,
     configure_remote_units,
     get_resource,
+    has_systemd,
 )
 from .dovecot.deployer import DovecotDeployer
 from .filtermail.deployer import FiltermailDeployer
@@ -65,6 +66,8 @@ def _build_chatmaild(dist_dir) -> None:
 
 
 def remove_legacy_artifacts():
+    if not has_systemd():
+        return
     # disable legacy doveauth-dictproxy.service
     if host.get_fact(SystemdEnabled).get("doveauth-dictproxy.service"):
         systemd.service(
@@ -299,7 +302,7 @@ class LegacyRemoveDeployer(Deployer):
             present=False,
         )
         # remove echobot if it is still running
-        if host.get_fact(SystemdEnabled).get("echobot.service"):
+        if has_systemd() and host.get_fact(SystemdEnabled).get("echobot.service"):
             systemd.service(
                 name="Disable echobot.service",
                 service="echobot.service",
diff --git a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/deployer.py b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/deployer.py
index 5a505ecb..9a7a4232 100644
--- a/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/deployer.py
+++ b/cmdeploy/src/cmdeploy/dovecot/deployer.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from cmdeploy.basedeploy import (
     activate_remote_units,
     configure_remote_units,
     get_resource,
+    has_systemd,
 )
 
 
@@ -22,10 +23,11 @@ class DovecotDeployer(Deployer):
 
     def install(self):
         arch = host.get_fact(Arch)
-        if not "dovecot.service" in host.get_fact(SystemdEnabled):
-            _install_dovecot_package("core", arch)
-            _install_dovecot_package("imapd", arch)
-            _install_dovecot_package("lmtpd", arch)
+        if has_systemd() and "dovecot.service" in host.get_fact(SystemdEnabled):
+            return  # already installed and running
+        _install_dovecot_package("core", arch)
+        _install_dovecot_package("imapd", arch)
+        _install_dovecot_package("lmtpd", arch)
 
     def configure(self):
         configure_remote_units(self.config.mail_domain, self.units)