diff --git a/roles/matrix-base/defaults/main.yml b/roles/matrix-base/defaults/main.yml
index 7f8d28d65..fac0dccf0 100644
--- a/roles/matrix-base/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/matrix-base/defaults/main.yml
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ matrix_host_command_openssl: "/usr/bin/env openssl"
 matrix_host_command_systemctl: "/usr/bin/env systemctl"
 matrix_host_command_sh: "/usr/bin/env sh"
 
-matrix_ntpd_package: "{{ 'chrony' if ansible_distribution == 'CentOS' or ansible_distribution == 'Ubuntu' else 'ntp' }}"
-matrix_ntpd_service: "{{ 'chronyd' if ansible_distribution == 'CentOS' or ansible_distribution == 'Ubuntu' else ('ntpd' if ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' or ansible_distribution == 'Archlinux' else 'ntp') }}"
+matrix_ntpd_package: "{{ 'systemd-timesyncd' if (ansible_distribution == 'CentOS' and ansible_distribution_major_version > '7') or (ansible_distribution == 'Ubuntu' and ansible_distribution_major_version > '16') else 'ntp' }}"
+matrix_ntpd_service: "{{ 'systemd-timesyncd' if (ansible_distribution == 'CentOS' and ansible_distribution_major_version > '7') or (ansible_distribution == 'Ubuntu' and ansible_distribution_major_version > '16') else ('ntpd' if ansible_os_family == 'RedHat' or ansible_distribution == 'Archlinux' else 'ntp') }}"
 
 matrix_homeserver_url: "https://{{ matrix_server_fqn_matrix }}"