diff --git a/DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf b/DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f0b45bf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[Manager]
+DefaultLimitNOFILE=1024
diff --git a/Dockerfile.almalinux-9 b/Dockerfile.almalinux-9
index 5c2bdad5..26d5c958 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.almalinux-9
+++ b/Dockerfile.almalinux-9
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ RUN systemctl mask rpc-gssd.service
 ENV container oci
 
 # Establish reasonably low open files limit in the container
-RUN echo "DefaultLimitNOFILE=1024" >> /etc/systemd/system.conf
+COPY DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf /usr/lib/systemd/system.conf.d/DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf
 
 ENTRYPOINT [ "/usr/sbin/init" ]
 STOPSIGNAL RTMIN+3
diff --git a/Dockerfile.centos-9-stream b/Dockerfile.centos-9-stream
index 4caaa6d0..e5d00aaf 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.centos-9-stream
+++ b/Dockerfile.centos-9-stream
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ RUN systemctl mask rpc-gssd.service
 ENV container oci
 
 # Establish reasonably low open files limit in the container
-RUN echo "DefaultLimitNOFILE=1024" >> /etc/systemd/system.conf
+COPY DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf /usr/lib/systemd/system.conf.d/DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf
 
 ENTRYPOINT [ "/usr/sbin/init" ]
 STOPSIGNAL RTMIN+3
diff --git a/Dockerfile.fedora-40 b/Dockerfile.fedora-40
index f435a6ea..08047d74 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.fedora-40
+++ b/Dockerfile.fedora-40
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ RUN systemctl mask rpc-gssd.service
 # debug: RUN test "$container" = oci
 
 # Establish reasonably low open files limit in the container
-RUN echo "DefaultLimitNOFILE=1024" >> /etc/systemd/system.conf
+COPY DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf /usr/lib/systemd/system.conf.d/DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf
 
 ENTRYPOINT [ "/usr/sbin/init" ]
 STOPSIGNAL RTMIN+3
diff --git a/Dockerfile.fedora-41 b/Dockerfile.fedora-41
index 6bf0132b..0f30ff04 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.fedora-41
+++ b/Dockerfile.fedora-41
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ RUN ( echo '[Service]' ; echo 'ExecStartPre=' ; sed '/ExecStartPre/!d; s/-R/-R -
 # debug: RUN test "$container" = oci
 
 # Establish reasonably low open files limit in the container
-RUN echo "DefaultLimitNOFILE=1024" >> /etc/systemd/system.conf
+COPY DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf /usr/lib/systemd/system.conf.d/DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf
 
 ENTRYPOINT [ "/usr/sbin/init" ]
 STOPSIGNAL RTMIN+3
diff --git a/Dockerfile.fedora-rawhide b/Dockerfile.fedora-rawhide
index c85da444..64276cd3 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.fedora-rawhide
+++ b/Dockerfile.fedora-rawhide
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ RUN ( echo '[Service]' ; echo 'ExecStartPre=' ; sed '/ExecStartPre/!d; s/-R/-R -
 # debug: RUN test "$container" = oci
 
 # Establish reasonably low open files limit in the container
-RUN echo "DefaultLimitNOFILE=1024" >> /etc/systemd/system.conf
+COPY DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf /usr/lib/systemd/system.conf.d/DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf
 
 ENTRYPOINT [ "/usr/sbin/init" ]
 STOPSIGNAL RTMIN+3
diff --git a/Dockerfile.rhel-9 b/Dockerfile.rhel-9
index c1492713..9ae8293c 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.rhel-9
+++ b/Dockerfile.rhel-9
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ RUN systemctl mask rpc-gssd.service
 # debug: RUN test "$container" = oci
 
 # Establish reasonably low open files limit in the container
-RUN echo "DefaultLimitNOFILE=1024" >> /etc/systemd/system.conf
+COPY DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf /usr/lib/systemd/system.conf.d/DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf
 
 ENTRYPOINT [ "/usr/sbin/init" ]
 STOPSIGNAL RTMIN+3
diff --git a/Dockerfile.rocky-9 b/Dockerfile.rocky-9
index 42023d0e..a2643155 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.rocky-9
+++ b/Dockerfile.rocky-9
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ RUN systemctl mask rpc-gssd.service
 ENV container oci
 
 # Establish reasonably low open files limit in the container
-RUN echo "DefaultLimitNOFILE=1024" >> /etc/systemd/system.conf
+COPY DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf /usr/lib/systemd/system.conf.d/DefaultLimitNOFILE.conf
 
 ENTRYPOINT [ "/usr/sbin/init" ]
 STOPSIGNAL RTMIN+3