diff --git a/handlers/main.yml b/handlers/main.yml
index 58f653e4..a35446be 100644
--- a/handlers/main.yml
+++ b/handlers/main.yml
@@ -94,3 +94,4 @@
   service:
     name: xinetd
     state: restarted
+    enabled: true
diff --git a/tasks/galera_post_install.yml b/tasks/galera_post_install.yml
index 0d3d34a1..807f713b 100644
--- a/tasks/galera_post_install.yml
+++ b/tasks/galera_post_install.yml
@@ -181,6 +181,15 @@
     dest: "/usr/local/bin/clustercheck"
     mode: "0755"
 
+# TODO: (nicolasbock) This task can be removed in T but is necessary
+# for S and earlier because deployments prior to this change will not
+# have the xinetd service enabled because the handler task runs only
+# for new deployments.
+- name: Enable xinetd service
+  service:
+    name: xinetd
+    enabled: yes
+
 - name: Create mysqlchk config
   template:
     src: "mysqlchk.j2"