After RHEL upgrade, Apache Httpd service fails to start for Red Hat Satellite with error "httpd.service: Service has no ExecStart"

Environment

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.x
• Red Hat Satellite 6.16
• Apache Httpd 2.4.x

Issue

• Used Leapp to upgrade to RHEL 9, and the Apache Httpd service fails to start for Red Hat Satellite with below error:

  2025-07-11 14:33:09 [ERROR ] [configure] Jul 11 14:33:09 mgtst01rhs01 systemd[1]: /etc/systemd/system/httpd.service:1: Assignment outside of section. Ignoring.
  2025-07-11 14:33:09 [ERROR ] [configure] Jul 11 14:33:09 mgtst01rhs01 systemd[1]: httpd.service: Service has no ExecStart=, ExecStop=, or SuccessAction=. Refusing.
  2025-07-11 14:33:09 [ERROR ] [configure] /Stage[main]/Apache::Service/Service[httpd]/ensure: change from 'stopped' to 'running' failed: Systemd start for httpd failed!
  

Resolution

1. Comment out the available content mentioned in file /etc/systemd/system/httpd.service.

2. Copy the contents from /usr/lib/systemd/system/httpd.service.

3. Paste it under /etc/systemd/system/httpd.service.

   Note:
   Most importantly, check the content under [Service], and make sure you copy & paste that content correctly.

4. Save the file.

5. Reload the daemon:

# systemctl daemon-reload

6. Restart the Apache Httpd service.

For more KB articles/solutions related to Red Hat Satellite 6.x LEAPP Issues, please refer to the Consolidated Troubleshooting Article for Red Hat Satellite 6.x LEAPP Issues

Root Cause

The root cause identified is an issue with the Apache httpd service file. The service file /etc/systemd/system/httpd.service is corrupted, missing essential directives such as ExecStart=, ExecStop=, and SuccessAction=.

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