diff --git a/doc/guix.texi b/doc/guix.texi
index a83560b53f9..9109ce4a388 100644
--- a/doc/guix.texi
+++ b/doc/guix.texi
@@ -39643,6 +39643,9 @@ The QEMU package to use.
 @item @code{dmidecode} (default: @code{dmidecode}) (type: file-like)
 The Dmidecode package to use.
 
+@item @code{requirement} (default: @code{'()}) (type: list-of-symbols)
+Shepherd services dependencies to the provisioned Shepherd service.
+
 @item @code{firmwares} (default: @code{(ovmf-x86-64)}) (type: list-of-file-likes)
 List of UEFI/BIOS firmware packages to make available.  Each firmware
 package should contain a @file{share/qemu/firmware/@var{NAME}.json} QEMU
diff --git a/gnu/services/virtualization.scm b/gnu/services/virtualization.scm
index f369c29c76d..06524f7851d 100644
--- a/gnu/services/virtualization.scm
+++ b/gnu/services/virtualization.scm
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@
             libvirt-configuration-ovs-timeout
             libvirt-configuration-prio-workers
             libvirt-configuration-qemu
+            libvirt-configuration-requirement
             libvirt-configuration-sasl-allowed-usernames
             libvirt-configuration-tcp-port
             libvirt-configuration-tls-allowed-dn-list
@@ -214,6 +215,12 @@
 (define list-of-file-likes?
   (list-of file-like?))
 
+(define list-of-symbols?
+  (list-of symbol?))
+
+(define (serialize-list-of-symbols field-name val)
+  val)
+
 (define-configuration libvirt-configuration
   (libvirt
    (file-like libvirt)
@@ -224,6 +231,9 @@
   (dmidecode
    (file-like dmidecode)
    "The Dmidecode package to use.")
+  (requirement
+   (list-of-symbols '(dbus-system))
+   "Shepherd services dependencies to the provisioned Shepherd service.")
   (firmwares
    (list-of-file-likes (list ovmf-x86-64))
    "List of UEFI/BIOS firmware packages to make available.  Each firmware
@@ -495,7 +505,7 @@ avoid potential infinite waits blocking libvirt."))
     (list (shepherd-service
            (documentation "Run the libvirt daemon.")
            (provision '(libvirtd))
-           (requirement '(dbus-system))
+           (requirement (libvirt-configuration-requirement config))
            (start #~(make-forkexec-constructor
                      (list (string-append #$libvirt "/sbin/libvirtd")
                            "-f" #$config-file