diff --git a/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd-compat-units.bb b/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd-compat-units.bb
index 55ebf99117..9085075a78 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd-compat-units.bb
+++ b/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd-compat-units.bb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ INHIBIT_DEFAULT_DEPS = "1"
 
 ALLOW_EMPTY:${PN} = "1"
 
-REQUIRED_DISTRO_FEATURES = "systemd"
+REQUIRED_DISTRO_FEATURES:append += "systemd"
 
 SYSTEMD_DISABLED_SYSV_SERVICES = " \
   busybox-udhcpc \
diff --git a/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd-serialgetty.bb b/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd-serialgetty.bb
index fd888bb834..60e18c4298 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd-serialgetty.bb
+++ b/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd-serialgetty.bb
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ S = "${WORKDIR}"
 
 # As this package is tied to systemd, only build it when we're also building systemd.
 inherit features_check
-REQUIRED_DISTRO_FEATURES = "systemd"
+REQUIRED_DISTRO_FEATURES:append += "systemd"
 
 do_install() {
 	if [ ! -z "${SERIAL_CONSOLES}" ] ; then
diff --git a/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd.inc b/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd.inc
index b8dbe2263a..f9e109bba4 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd.inc
+++ b/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd.inc
@@ -21,3 +21,8 @@ SRC_URI = "git://github.com/systemd/systemd-stable.git;protocol=https;branch=${S
 "
 
 S = "${WORKDIR}/git"
+
+# unmerged-usr support is deprecated upstream, taints the system and will be
+# removed in the near future. Fail the build if it is not enabled.
+inherit features_check
+REQUIRED_DISTRO_FEATURES = "usrmerge"
diff --git a/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd_251.2.bb b/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd_251.2.bb
index bb3c59f418..b1358420eb 100644
--- a/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd_251.2.bb
+++ b/meta/recipes-core/systemd/systemd_251.2.bb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ inherit useradd pkgconfig meson perlnative update-rc.d update-alternatives qemu
 
 # As this recipe builds udev, respect systemd being in DISTRO_FEATURES so
 # that we don't build both udev and systemd in world builds.
-REQUIRED_DISTRO_FEATURES = "systemd"
+REQUIRED_DISTRO_FEATURES:append += "systemd"
 
 SRC_URI += "file://touchscreen.rules \
            file://00-create-volatile.conf \