diff --git a/spamassassin/tasks/main.yml b/spamassassin/tasks/main.yml
index 5062acd25fd0590a88a2b5b70e8ed739a5453210..f877d45059b1cfb7597a95fbf4ac9b1769809de7 100644
--- a/spamassassin/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/spamassassin/tasks/main.yml
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@
     - spamassassin
 
 - name: ensure spamassassin is enabled -- the nasty debian way
-  copy:
-    src: defaults
+  template:
+    src: defaults.j2
     dest: /etc/default/spamassassin
     owner: root
     group: root
diff --git a/spamassassin/files/defaults b/spamassassin/templates/defaults.j2
similarity index 76%
rename from spamassassin/files/defaults
rename to spamassassin/templates/defaults.j2
index b79daf14f00eb821dd21d4a313d3ac17d5f7509d..5b75851dd9de8ceea93d76ecdf013bc2ef1601e3 100644
--- a/spamassassin/files/defaults
+++ b/spamassassin/templates/defaults.j2
@@ -4,11 +4,18 @@
 # WARNING: please read README.spamd before using.
 # There may be security risks.
 
+{% if ansible_distribution_major_version|int(default=99) < 11 %}
 # If you're using systemd (default for jessie), the ENABLED setting is
 # not used. Instead, enable spamd by issuing:
 # systemctl enable spamassassin.service
 # Change to "1" to enable spamd on systems using sysvinit:
 ENABLED=1
+{% else %}
+# Prior to version 3.4.2-1, spamd could be enabled by setting
+# ENABLED=1 in this file. This is no longer supported. Instead, please
+# use the update-rc.d command, invoked for example as "update-rc.d
+# spamassassin enable", to enable the spamd service.
+{% endif %}
 
 # Options
 # See man spamd for possible options. The -d option is automatically added.