diff --git a/src/shutdown/shutdown.c b/src/shutdown/shutdown.c
index 2c3cbec02c..8eef305578 100644
--- a/src/shutdown/shutdown.c
+++ b/src/shutdown/shutdown.c
@@ -603,6 +603,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                                 execv(args[0], (char * const *) args);
 
                                 /* execv failed (kexec binary missing?), so try simply reboot(RB_KEXEC) */
+                                sleep(15);
                                 (void) reboot(cmd);
                                 _exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
                         }
@@ -614,6 +615,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 _fallthrough_;
 
         case RB_AUTOBOOT:
+                sleep(15);
                 (void) reboot_with_parameter(REBOOT_LOG);
                 log_info("Rebooting.");
                 break;
@@ -630,6 +632,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 assert_not_reached();
         }
 
+        sleep(15);
         (void) reboot(cmd);
         if (errno == EPERM && in_container) {
                 /* If we are in a container, and we lacked