diff --git a/playbooks/upgrade-docker-ce.yaml b/playbooks/upgrade-docker-ce.yaml
index 7542280..c1d4e25 100644
--- a/playbooks/upgrade-docker-ce.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/upgrade-docker-ce.yaml
@@ -126,6 +126,13 @@ steps:
     shell: DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get install -y {{ pkgs_to_install }}
     sudo: true
 
+  - name: systemctl daemon-reload (CRITICAL — package swap put dockerd at
+      /usr/bin/dockerd; without reload, systemd keeps the old unit's
+      ExecStart pointing at /usr/sbin/dockerd from docker.io and fails
+      with status=203/EXEC "No such file or directory")
+    shell: systemctl daemon-reload
+    sudo: true
+
   - name: Enable + start the new daemon (idempotent)
     shell: systemctl enable --now docker
     sudo: true