diff --git a/salt/modules/timezone.py b/salt/modules/timezone.py
index a01e3cedf6..96a5d0f681 100644
--- a/salt/modules/timezone.py
+++ b/salt/modules/timezone.py
@@ -109,6 +109,12 @@ def set_zone(timezone):
 
         salt '*' timezone.set_zone 'America/Denver'
     '''
+    if salt.utils.which('timedatectl'):
+        try:
+            __salt__['cmd.run']('timedatectl set-timezone {0}'.format(timezone))
+        except CommandExecutionError:
+            pass
+
     if 'Solaris' in __grains__['os_family']:
         zonepath = '/usr/share/lib/zoneinfo/{0}'.format(timezone)
     else:
diff --git a/tests/unit/modules/timezone_test.py b/tests/unit/modules/timezone_test.py
index 941e730576..729914e756 100644
--- a/tests/unit/modules/timezone_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit/modules/timezone_test.py
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ class TimezoneTestCase(TestCase):
         '''
         Test to unlinks, then symlinks /etc/localtime to the set timezone.
         '''
-        ret = ('Zone does not exist: /usr/share/lib/zoneinfo/timezone')
-        mock = MagicMock(side_effect=[False, True, True])
-        with patch.dict(timezone.__grains__, {'os_family': 'Solaris'}):
+        def zone_checking_and_unlinking():
+            ret = ('Zone does not exist: /usr/share/lib/zoneinfo/timezone')
+            mock = MagicMock(side_effect=[False, True, True])
             with patch.object(os.path, 'exists', mock):
                 self.assertEqual(timezone.set_zone('timezone'), ret)
 
@@ -102,6 +102,14 @@ class TimezoneTestCase(TestCase):
                                      MagicMock(return_value=None)}):
                         self.assertTrue(timezone.set_zone('timezone'))
 
+        with patch.dict(timezone.__grains__, {'os_family': 'Solaris'}):
+            with patch.object(salt.utils, 'which', return_value=False):
+                zone_checking_and_unlinking()
+
+            with patch.object(salt.utils, 'which', return_value=True):
+                with patch.dict(timezone.__salt__, {'cmd.run': MagicMock(return_value='')}):
+                    zone_checking_and_unlinking()
+
     def test_zone_compare(self):
         '''
         Test to checks the hash sum between the given timezone, and the