diff --git a/tasks/elasticsearch-config.yml b/tasks/elasticsearch-config.yml
index 67d6114..1ec89c3 100644
--- a/tasks/elasticsearch-config.yml
+++ b/tasks/elasticsearch-config.yml
@@ -86,18 +86,30 @@
     content: ''
   when: ansible_os_family == 'RedHat'
 
-  # We need the force parameter to be able to overwrite the default non-link file
 - name: Symlink default systemd service to first instance of elasticsearch
   when: use_system_d
-  become: yes
-  file:
-    state: link
-    force: yes
-    src: "{{ instance_sysd_script }}"
-    path: "{{ sysd_script }}"
-  notify:
-  - reload systemd configuration
-  - restart elasticsearch
+  block:
+  - name: Check if default systemd file exists
+    stat:
+      path: "{{ sysd_script }}"
+    register: sysd_stat_result
+
+  - name: Remove if it is a normal file
+    file:
+      path: "{{ sysd_script }}"
+      state: absent
+    when: sysd_stat_result.stat.exists and not sysd_stat_result.stat.islnk
+
+  - name: Create a symbolic link to the default systemd location to the first instance running on this host
+    become: yes
+    file:
+      state: link
+      src: "{{ instance_sysd_script }}"
+      path: "{{ sysd_script }}"
+    when: sysd_stat_result.stat.exists and not sysd_stat_result.stat.islnk
+    notify:
+    - reload systemd configuration
+    - restart elasticsearch
 
 - name: Delete Default Configuration File
   become: yes