diff --git a/filebeat/cmd/root.go b/filebeat/cmd/root.go
index 4a5a2607b186..81d87807fcf1 100644
--- a/filebeat/cmd/root.go
+++ b/filebeat/cmd/root.go
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ func Filebeat(inputs beater.PluginFactory, settings instance.Settings) *cmd.Beat
 	command.PersistentFlags().AddGoFlag(flag.CommandLine.Lookup("M"))
 	command.TestCmd.Flags().AddGoFlag(flag.CommandLine.Lookup("modules"))
 	command.SetupCmd.Flags().AddGoFlag(flag.CommandLine.Lookup("modules"))
+	command.Flags().AddGoFlag(flag.CommandLine.Lookup("ignore-journald-version"))
 	command.AddCommand(cmd.GenModulesCmd(Name, "", buildModulesManager))
 	command.AddCommand(genGenerateCmd())
 	return command
diff --git a/filebeat/input/journald/input.go b/filebeat/input/journald/input.go
index 736569c00bfc..c633154a976f 100644
--- a/filebeat/input/journald/input.go
+++ b/filebeat/input/journald/input.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ package journald
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -42,6 +43,15 @@ import (
 	"github.com/elastic/elastic-agent-libs/logp"
 )
 
+var noVersionCheck bool
+
+func init() {
+	flag.BoolVar(&noVersionCheck,
+		"ignore-journald-version",
+		false,
+		"Does not check Journald version when starting the Journald input. This might cause Filebeat to crash!")
+}
+
 type journald struct {
 	Backoff            time.Duration
 	MaxBackoff         time.Duration
@@ -92,6 +102,11 @@ func Plugin(log *logp.Logger, store cursor.StateStore) input.Plugin {
 		Manager:    m,
 	}
 
+	if noVersionCheck {
+		log.Warn("Journald version check has been DISABLED! Filebeat might crash if Journald version is < 255.")
+		return p
+	}
+
 	version, err := systemdVersion()
 	if err != nil {
 		configErr := fmt.Errorf("%w: %s", ErrCannotGetSystemdVersion, err)
@@ -358,9 +373,14 @@ func parseSystemdVersion(output string) (int, error) {
 	return version, err
 }
 
-// getSystemdVersionViaDBus foo
+// getSystemdVersionViaDBus gets the Systemd version from D-Bus
+//
+// We get the version by reading the property
+// `org.freedesktop.systemd1.Manager.Version`. Even though this property is
+// is documented as not being part of the official API and having an unstable
+// scheme, on our tests it proved to be stable enough.
 //
-// Version string should not be parsed:
+// The Systemd D-Bus documentation states:
 //
 //	 Version encodes the version string of the running systemd
 //	 instance. Note that the version string is purely informational,
diff --git a/filebeat/input/journald/input_test.go b/filebeat/input/journald/input_test.go
index 5c81c52998c0..fc4c0796a820 100644
--- a/filebeat/input/journald/input_test.go
+++ b/filebeat/input/journald/input_test.go
@@ -21,13 +21,21 @@ package journald
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"flag"
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"path"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/elastic/elastic-agent-libs/mapstr"
 )
 
+func TestMain(m *testing.M) {
+	flag.Parse()
+	noVersionCheck = true
+	os.Exit(m.Run())
+}
+
 func TestInputFieldsTranslation(t *testing.T) {
 	// A few random keys to verify
 	keysToCheck := map[string]string{
diff --git a/filebeat/magefile.go b/filebeat/magefile.go
index 771741f02a15..f25e021024fe 100644
--- a/filebeat/magefile.go
+++ b/filebeat/magefile.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 
 	devtools "github.com/elastic/beats/v7/dev-tools/mage"
 	"github.com/elastic/beats/v7/dev-tools/mage/target/build"
+	"github.com/elastic/beats/v7/dev-tools/mage/target/unittest"
 	filebeat "github.com/elastic/beats/v7/filebeat/scripts/mage"
 
 	//mage:import
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ import (
 func init() {
 	common.RegisterCheckDeps(Update)
 	test.RegisterDeps(IntegTest)
+	unittest.RegisterGoTestDeps(TestJournaldInput)
 
 	devtools.BeatDescription = "Filebeat sends log files to Logstash or directly to Elasticsearch."
 }
@@ -215,15 +217,20 @@ func PythonIntegTest(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return devtools.PythonIntegTestFromHost(devtools.DefaultPythonTestIntegrationFromHostArgs())
 }
 
-// TestJournald executes the Journald input tests
+// TestJournaldInput executes the Journald input unit tests.
+//
+// It requires Systemd >= 255 and D-Bus to be installed
+// on the host.
+//
 // Use TEST_COVERAGE=true to enable code coverage profiling.
 // Use RACE_DETECTOR=true to enable the race detector.
-func TestJournald(ctx context.Context) error {
-	utArgs := devtools.DefaultGoTestUnitArgs()
-	utArgs.Packages = []string{"./input/journald"}
+func TestJournaldInput(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if devtools.Platform.GOOS == "linux" {
-		utArgs.ExtraFlags = append(utArgs.ExtraFlags, "-tags=withjournald")
+		testArgs := devtools.DefaultGoTestUnitArgs()
+		testArgs.Packages = []string{"./input/journald"}
+		testArgs.ExtraFlags = append(testArgs.ExtraFlags, "-tags=withjournald")
+		return devtools.GoTest(ctx, testArgs)
 	}
 
-	return devtools.GoTest(ctx, utArgs)
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/libbeat/docs/command-reference.asciidoc b/libbeat/docs/command-reference.asciidoc
index 91daaf097be6..3574a7144ac9 100644
--- a/libbeat/docs/command-reference.asciidoc
+++ b/libbeat/docs/command-reference.asciidoc
@@ -744,12 +744,19 @@ the end of the file is reached. By default harvesters are closed after
 The `--once` option is not currently supported with the
 {filebeat-ref}/filebeat-input-filestream.html[`filestream`] input type.
 
+*`--ignore-journald-version`*::
+When the `--ignore-journald-version` is used, the Journald input
+**will not** validate the minimum Systemd version during the input
+initialisation. Running the Journald input with an unsupported version
+of Systemd might cause {beatname_uc} to crash.
 endif::[]
 
+ifeval::["{beatname_lc}"=="metricbeat"]
 *`--system.hostfs MOUNT_POINT`*::
 
 Specifies the mount point of the host's filesystem for use in monitoring a host. 
 This flag is depricated, and an alternate hostfs should be specified via the `hostfs` module config value.
+endif::[]
 
 
 ifeval::["{beatname_lc}"=="packetbeat"]