diff --git a/firmware_handler.cpp b/firmware_handler.cpp
index c6c7fa5..03cf1c2 100644
--- a/firmware_handler.cpp
+++ b/firmware_handler.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@
 
 namespace blobs
 {
+// systemd service to kick start a target.
+static constexpr auto systemdService = "org.freedesktop.systemd1";
+static constexpr auto systemdRoot = "/org/freedesktop/systemd1";
+static constexpr auto systemdInterface = "org.freedesktop.systemd1.Manager";
+static constexpr auto verifyTarget = "verify_image.service";
 
 const std::string FirmwareBlobHandler::verifyBlobID = "/flash/verify";
 const std::string FirmwareBlobHandler::hashBlobID = "/flash/hash";
@@ -587,6 +592,23 @@
 
 bool FirmwareBlobHandler::triggerVerification()
 {
+    auto method = bus.new_method_call(systemdService, systemdRoot,
+                                      systemdInterface, "StartUnit");
+    method.append(verifyTarget);
+    method.append("replace");
+
+    try
+    {
+        bus.call_noreply(method);
+    }
+    catch (const sdbusplus::exception::SdBusError& ex)
+    {
+        /* TODO: Once logging supports unit-tests, add a log message to test
+         * this failure.
+         */
+        return false;
+    }
+
     state = UpdateState::verificationStarted;
 
     /* TODO: implement this. */