diff --git a/roles/container-engine/containerd/tasks/main.yml b/roles/container-engine/containerd/tasks/main.yml
index afec44f56fe..f1b97771762 100644
--- a/roles/container-engine/containerd/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/container-engine/containerd/tasks/main.yml
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@
     src: containerd.service.j2
     dest: /etc/systemd/system/containerd.service
     mode: 0644
-    validate: "systemd-analyze verify %s:containerd.service"
+    validate: "sh -c '[ -f /usr/bin/systemd/system/factory-reset.target ] || exit 0 && systemd-analyze verify %s:containerd.service'"
+    # FIXME: check that systemd version >= 250 (factory-reset.target was introduced in that release)
+    # Remove once we drop support for systemd < 250
   notify: Restart containerd
 
 - name: Containerd | Ensure containerd directories exist
diff --git a/roles/container-engine/cri-dockerd/tasks/main.yml b/roles/container-engine/cri-dockerd/tasks/main.yml
index ca8dd3fde98..730e379eb63 100644
--- a/roles/container-engine/cri-dockerd/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/container-engine/cri-dockerd/tasks/main.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,9 @@
     src: "{{ item }}.j2"
     dest: "/etc/systemd/system/{{ item }}"
     mode: 0644
-    validate: "systemd-analyze verify %s:{{ item }}"
+    validate: "sh -c '[ -f /usr/bin/systemd/system/factory-reset.target ] || exit 0 && systemd-analyze verify %s:{{ item }}'"
+    # FIXME: check that systemd version >= 250 (factory-reset.target was introduced in that release)
+    # Remove once we drop support for systemd < 250
   with_items:
     - cri-dockerd.service
     - cri-dockerd.socket
diff --git a/roles/etcd/tasks/configure.yml b/roles/etcd/tasks/configure.yml
index 23dd9b6ec96..438dbc7df78 100644
--- a/roles/etcd/tasks/configure.yml
+++ b/roles/etcd/tasks/configure.yml
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@
     dest: /etc/systemd/system/etcd.service
     backup: yes
     mode: 0644
-    validate: "systemd-analyze verify %s:etcd-{{ etcd_deployment_type }}.service"
+    # FIXME: check that systemd version >= 250 (factory-reset.target was introduced in that release)
+    # Remove once we drop support for systemd < 250
+    validate: "sh -c '[ -f /usr/bin/systemd/system/factory-reset.target ] || exit 0 && systemd-analyze verify %s:etcd-{{ etcd_deployment_type }}.service'"
   when: is_etcd_master and etcd_cluster_setup
 
 - name: Configure | Copy etcd-events.service systemd file
@@ -60,7 +62,9 @@
     dest: /etc/systemd/system/etcd-events.service
     backup: yes
     mode: 0644
-    validate: "systemd-analyze verify %s:etcd-events-{{ etcd_deployment_type }}.service"
+    validate: "sh -c '[ -f /usr/bin/systemd/system/factory-reset.target ] || exit 0 && systemd-analyze verify %s:etcd-events-{{ etcd_deployment_type }}.service'"
+    # FIXME: check that systemd version >= 250 (factory-reset.target was introduced in that release)
+    # Remove once we drop support for systemd < 250
   when: is_etcd_master and etcd_events_cluster_setup
 
 - name: Configure | reload systemd
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/control-plane/tasks/main.yml b/roles/kubernetes/control-plane/tasks/main.yml
index 185a481fb27..50eccbd0735 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/control-plane/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/control-plane/tasks/main.yml
@@ -113,7 +113,9 @@
     src: "{{ item }}.j2"
     dest: "/etc/systemd/system/{{ item }}"
     mode: 0644
-    validate: "systemd-analyze verify %s:{{item}}"
+    validate: "sh -c '[ -f /usr/bin/systemd/system/factory-reset.target ] || exit 0 && systemd-analyze verify %s:{{item}}'"
+    # FIXME: check that systemd version >= 250 (factory-reset.target was introduced in that release)
+    # Remove once we drop support for systemd < 250
   with_items:
     - k8s-certs-renew.service
     - k8s-certs-renew.timer
diff --git a/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/kubelet.yml b/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/kubelet.yml
index aeb1b94becc..d8ff9e23070 100644
--- a/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/kubelet.yml
+++ b/roles/kubernetes/node/tasks/kubelet.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@
     dest: "/etc/systemd/system/kubelet.service"
     backup: "yes"
     mode: 0600
-    validate: "systemd-analyze verify %s:kubelet.service"
+    validate: "sh -c '[ -f /usr/bin/systemd/system/factory-reset.target ] || exit 0 && systemd-analyze verify %s:kubelet.service'"
+    # FIXME: check that systemd version >= 250 (factory-reset.target was introduced in that release)
+    # Remove once we drop support for systemd < 250
   notify: Node | restart kubelet
   tags:
     - kubelet