diff --git a/item_updater.cpp b/item_updater.cpp
index df73fc5..a4198ab 100644
--- a/item_updater.cpp
+++ b/item_updater.cpp
@@ -575,6 +575,10 @@
         log<level::ERR>("Failed to update u-boot env variables",
                         entry("VERSIONID=%s", versionId.c_str()));
     }
+
+    // On average this service takes about 5 seconds. Therefore setting
+    // it to 3x average time should be more than sufficient.
+    waitForServiceFile(updateEnvVarsFile, 15);
 }
 
 void ItemUpdater::resetUbootEnvVars()
diff --git a/serialize.cpp b/serialize.cpp
index b59ff46..29bd640 100644
--- a/serialize.cpp
+++ b/serialize.cpp
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 #include <experimental/filesystem>
 #include <cereal/archives/json.hpp>
 #include <fstream>
+#include <unistd.h>
 #include "serialize.hpp"
 #include <sdbusplus/server.hpp>
+#include <phosphor-logging/log.hpp>
+#include <chrono>
 
 namespace phosphor
 {
@@ -14,6 +17,9 @@
 
 namespace fs = std::experimental::filesystem;
 
+using namespace phosphor::logging;
+using namespace std::chrono_literals;
+
 void storeToFile(std::string versionId, uint8_t priority)
 {
     auto bus = sdbusplus::bus::new_default();
@@ -34,6 +40,10 @@
                                       SYSTEMD_INTERFACE, "StartUnit");
     method.append(serviceFile, "replace");
     bus.call_noreply(method);
+
+    // On average it takes 1-2 seconds for the service to complete.
+    // Therefore timeout is set to 3x average completion time.
+    waitForServiceFile(serviceFile, 6);
 }
 
 bool restoreFromFile(std::string versionId, uint8_t& priority)
@@ -104,6 +114,37 @@
     }
 }
 
+void waitForServiceFile(const std::string& serviceFile, int timeout)
+{
+    auto bus = sdbusplus::bus::new_default();
+
+    std::time_t start = time(0);
+    std::time_t end = time(0);
+
+    while (end - start < timeout)
+    {
+        auto method = bus.new_method_call(SYSTEMD_BUSNAME, SYSTEMD_PATH,
+                                          SYSTEMD_INTERFACE, "GetUnit");
+        method.append(serviceFile);
+        auto result = bus.call(method);
+
+        // "GetUnit" returns the unit object path for a unit name.
+        // If the unit is not found because it hasn't been loaded yet,
+        // or in this case because it has finished and exited, the call
+        // will fail.
+        if (result.is_method_error())
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        std::this_thread::sleep_for(1s);
+        end = time(0);
+    }
+
+    log<level::ERR>("Service file timed out!",
+                    entry("FILENAME=%s", serviceFile.c_str()));
+}
+
 } // namespace phosphor
 } // namespace software
 } // namespace openpower
diff --git a/serialize.hpp b/serialize.hpp
index 03eea99..604aada 100644
--- a/serialize.hpp
+++ b/serialize.hpp
@@ -30,6 +30,13 @@
  **/
 void removeFile(std::string versionId);
 
+/** @brief Delays until the completion of the supplied service file or until
+ *  specified timeout is reached.
+ *  @param[in] serviceFile - Service file to wait for.
+ *  @param[in] timeout - Fallback timeout so we don't get stuck.
+ **/
+void waitForServiceFile(const std::string& serviceFile, int timeout);
+
 } // namespace phosphor
 } // namespace software
 } // namespace openpower