diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index d2b06c1b..ef861cd4 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -481,6 +481,10 @@ nova_services:
     start_order: 6
     execstarts: "{{ nova_bin }}/nova-compute"
     execreloads: "/bin/kill -HUP $MAINPID"
+    after_targets:
+      - libvirtd.service
+      - syslog.target
+      - network.target
   nova-conductor:
     group: nova_conductor
     service_name: nova-conductor
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 5569620e..039dbfbc 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@
     name: systemd_service
     private: true
   vars:
+    systemd_after_targets: "{{ service_var.after_targets | default(['syslog.target', 'network.target']) }}"
     systemd_user_name: "{{ nova_system_user_name }}"
     systemd_group_name: "{{ nova_system_group_name }}"
     systemd_tempd_prefix: openstack