diff --git a/lib/capistrano/tasks/systemd.rake b/lib/capistrano/tasks/systemd.rake
index f12e7eb..24c1746 100644
--- a/lib/capistrano/tasks/systemd.rake
+++ b/lib/capistrano/tasks/systemd.rake
@@ -82,10 +82,15 @@ namespace :puma do
   desc 'Reload Puma service via systemd'
   task :reload do
     on roles(fetch(:puma_role)) do
+      service_ok = execute("#{fetch(:puma_systemctl_bin)} --user status #{fetch(:puma_service_unit_name)} > /dev/null", raise_on_non_zero_exit: false)
+      cmd = 'reload'
+      if !service_ok
+        cmd = 'restart'
+      end
       if fetch(:puma_systemctl_user) == :system
-        sudo "#{fetch(:puma_systemctl_bin)} reload #{fetch(:puma_service_unit_name)}"
+        sudo "#{fetch(:puma_systemctl_bin)}  #{cmd} #{fetch(:puma_service_unit_name)}"
       else
-        execute "#{fetch(:puma_systemctl_bin)}", "--user", "reload", fetch(:puma_service_unit_name)
+        execute "#{fetch(:puma_systemctl_bin)}", "--user", cmd, fetch(:puma_service_unit_name)
       end
     end
   end