diff --git a/meta-digi-arm/conf/machine/include/ccimx8x.inc b/meta-digi-arm/conf/machine/include/ccimx8x.inc
index 7f55d3f7e..4f3e3554f 100644
--- a/meta-digi-arm/conf/machine/include/ccimx8x.inc
+++ b/meta-digi-arm/conf/machine/include/ccimx8x.inc
@@ -48,6 +48,9 @@ MACHINE_FEATURES += "accel-graphics accel-video wifi bluetooth cryptochip"
 # AARCH64 doesn't support self-extracting zImage
 KERNEL_IMAGETYPE = "Image.gz"
 
+VIRTUAL-RUNTIME_init_manager ?= "systemd"
+
 # Adding 'wayland' along with 'x11' enables the xwayland backend
 # Vulkan is necessary for wayland to build
-DISTRO_FEATURES_append = " wayland vulkan"
+DISTRO_FEATURES_append = " wayland vulkan systemd pam"
+DISTRO_FEATURES_BACKFILL_CONSIDERED = "sysvinit"