diff --git a/systemdspawner/systemd.py b/systemdspawner/systemd.py
index 65b2771..39a2f2c 100644
--- a/systemdspawner/systemd.py
+++ b/systemdspawner/systemd.py
@@ -230,6 +230,14 @@ def get_systemd_version():
     """
     try:
         version_response = subprocess.check_output(["systemctl", "--version"])
+    except Exception as e:
+        warnings.warn(
+            f"Failed to run `systemctl --version` to get systemd version: {e}",
+            RuntimeWarning,
+            stacklevel=2,
+        )
+
+    try:
         # Example response from Ubuntu 22.04:
         #
         # systemd 249 (249.11-0ubuntu3.9)
@@ -237,5 +245,10 @@ def get_systemd_version():
         #
         version = int(float(version_response.split()[1]))
         return version
-    except:
+    except Exception as e:
+        warnings.warn(
+            f"Failed to parse systemd version from `systemctl --version`: {e}. output={version_response}",
+            RuntimeWarning,
+            stacklevel=2,
+        )
         return None
diff --git a/systemdspawner/systemdspawner.py b/systemdspawner/systemdspawner.py
index 9f2712e..06b3c72 100644
--- a/systemdspawner/systemdspawner.py
+++ b/systemdspawner/systemdspawner.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import os
 import pwd
 import sys
+import warnings
 
 from jupyterhub.spawner import Spawner
 from jupyterhub.utils import random_port
@@ -157,16 +158,16 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
 
         systemd_version = systemd.get_systemd_version()
         if systemd_version is None:
-            self.log.warning(
-                "Failed to parse systemd version from 'systemctl --version'"
-            )
+            # not found, nothing to check
+            # already warned about this in get_systemd_version
+            pass
         elif systemd_version < SYSTEMD_REQUIRED_VERSION:
             self.log.critical(
                 f"systemd version {SYSTEMD_REQUIRED_VERSION} or higher is required, version {systemd_version} is used"
             )
             sys.exit(1)
         elif systemd_version < SYSTEMD_LOWEST_RECOMMENDED_VERSION:
-            self.log.warning(
+            warnings.warn(
                 f"systemd version {SYSTEMD_LOWEST_RECOMMENDED_VERSION} or higher is recommended, version {systemd_version} is used"
             )