diff --git a/postgres/init.sls b/postgres/init.sls
index 3beb706..c8577b9 100644
--- a/postgres/init.sls
+++ b/postgres/init.sls
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ postgresql-initdb:
   cmd.run:
     - cwd: /
     - user: root
-    - name: service postgresql initdb
+    - name: {{ postgres.commands.initdb }}
     - unless: test -f {{ postgres.conf_dir }}/postgresql.conf
     - env:
       LC_ALL: C.UTF-8
diff --git a/postgres/osmap.yaml b/postgres/osmap.yaml
index fee8384..d84b9a4 100644
--- a/postgres/osmap.yaml
+++ b/postgres/osmap.yaml
@@ -5,3 +5,5 @@ Arch: {}
 Debian:
   pkg_repo_file: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pgdg.list
   pkg_libpq_dev: libpq-dev
+  commands:
+    initdb: service postgresql initdb