diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index ff4ccab..51ea28f 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,14 +1,10 @@
 sudo: required
-dist: trusty
 language: ruby
 cache: bundler
 rvm:
   - jruby-1.7.25
 jdk:
   - oraclejdk8
-before_install:
-  - export JRUBY_OPTS='--client -J-XX:+TieredCompilation -J-XX:TieredStopAtLevel=1 -Xcext.enabled=false -J-Xss2m -Xcompile.invokedynamic=false'
-  - gem install bundler
 before_script:
   - bundle exec rake vendor
   - bundle exec rake install_jars
diff --git a/spec/jdbc_spec_helper.rb b/spec/jdbc_spec_helper.rb
index 082adb3..32da9e4 100644
--- a/spec/jdbc_spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/jdbc_spec_helper.rb
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ require 'logstash/outputs/jdbc'
 require 'stud/temporary'
 require 'java'
 require 'securerandom'
-require 'mkmf'
 
 RSpec.shared_context 'rspec setup' do
   it 'ensure jar is available' do
@@ -110,9 +109,10 @@ RSpec.shared_context 'when outputting messages' do
 
     # Start a thread to stop and restart the service.
     t = Thread.new(systemd_database_service) { |systemd_database_service|
-      start_stop_cmd = 'sudo /etc/init.d/%<service>s %<action>s'
+      start_stop_cmd = 'sudo /etc/init.d/%<service>s* %<action>s'
 
-      if find_executable('systemctl')
+      `which systemctl`
+      if $?.success?
         start_stop_cmd = 'sudo systemctl %<action>s %<service>s'
       end