diff --git a/recipes-extended/images/container-systemd-base.bb b/recipes-extended/images/container-systemd-base.bb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..96ef4667
--- /dev/null
+++ b/recipes-extended/images/container-systemd-base.bb
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+SUMMARY = "Systemd system container for ${SYSTEMD_CONTAINER_APP}"
+DESCRIPTION = "A small systemd system container which will run \
+                ${SYSTEMD_CONTAINER_APP}."
+
+SYSTEMD_CONTAINER_APP ?= ""
+
+# Use local.conf to specify the application(s) to install
+IMAGE_INSTALL += "${SYSTEMD_CONTAINER_APP}"
+
+# Use local.conf to specify additional systemd services to disable. To overwrite
+# the default list use SERVICES_TO_DISABLE:pn-systemd-container in local.conf
+SERVICES_TO_DISABLE:append = " ${SYSTEMD_CONTAINER_DISABLE_SERVICES}"
+
+# Use local.conf to enable systemd services
+SERVICES_TO_ENABLE += "${SYSTEMD_CONTAINER_ENABLE_SERVICES}"
+
+require container-systemd-base.inc
diff --git a/recipes-extended/images/container-systemd-base.inc b/recipes-extended/images/container-systemd-base.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b856e83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/recipes-extended/images/container-systemd-base.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+SUMMARY ?= "Sample systemd system container"
+DESCRIPTION ?= "A small systemd system container which will run \
+                the application defined in IMAGE_INSTALL."
+
+LICENSE ?= "MIT"
+LIC_FILES_CHKSUM ?= "file://${COMMON_LICENSE_DIR}/MIT;md5=0835ade698e0bcf8506ecda2f7b4f302"
+
+# Some commands of interest:
+# % docker run -d --rm --name systemd_test  --privileged \
+#    --cap-add SYS_ADMIN --security-opt seccomp=unconfined --cgroup-parent=docker.slice \
+#    --cgroupns private --tmpfs /tmp --tmpfs /run --tmpfs /run/lock zeddii/systemd-container-base
+#
+# % docker run -d --rm --name systemd_test --privileged \
+#    --cgroup-parent=docker.slice --cgroupns private  zeddii/c3-systemd-container
+#
+# % docker inspect systemd_test
+# % docker inspect systemd_test | grep \"IPAddress\":
+# % docker exec systemd_test bash -c "echo 'testuser:password' | chpasswd"
+# % ssh testuser@172.17.0.2
+
+require container-base.bb
+
+OCI_IMAGE_ENTRYPOINT = "/sbin/init"
+
+IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " systemd"
+IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " packagegroup-core-base-utils"
+IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " packagegroup-core-ssh-openssh"
+IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " busybox"
+
+IMAGE_FEATURES ?= ""
+
+NO_RECOMMENDATIONS = "1"
+
+SERVICES_TO_DISABLE ?= " \
+    systemd-udevd.service \
+    systemd-udevd-control.socket \
+    systemd-udevd-kernel.socket \
+    proc-sys-fs-binfmt_misc.automount \
+    sys-fs-fuse-connections.mount \
+    sys-kernel-debug.mount \
+    systemd-hwdb-update.service \
+    serial-getty@ttyS0.service \
+    dev-ttyS0.device \
+    console-getty.service \
+    serial-getty@.service \
+"
+
+SERVICES_TO_ENABLE ?= ""
+
+disable_systemd_services () {
+	SERVICES_TO_DISABLE="${SERVICES_TO_DISABLE}"
+	if [ -n "$SERVICES_TO_DISABLE" ]; then
+		echo "Disabling systemd services:"
+		for service in $SERVICES_TO_DISABLE; do
+			echo "    $service"
+			systemctl --root="${IMAGE_ROOTFS}" mask $service > /dev/null >1
+		done
+	fi
+}
+
+enable_systemd_services () {
+	SERVICES_TO_ENABLE="${SERVICES_TO_ENABLE}"
+	if [ -n "$SERVICES_TO_ENABLE" ]; then
+		echo "Enabling additional systemd services:"
+		for service in $SERVICES_TO_ENABLE; do
+			echo "    $service"
+			systemctl --root="${IMAGE_ROOTFS}" enable $service > /dev/null >1
+		done
+	fi
+}
+
+ROOTFS_POSTPROCESS_COMMAND += "disable_systemd_services; enable_systemd_services;"