diff --git a/internal/osbuild/systemd_journald_stage.go b/internal/osbuild/systemd_journald_stage.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..906bf3815
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/osbuild/systemd_journald_stage.go
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+package osbuild
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"regexp"
+)
+
+const configFilenameRegex = "^[a-zA-Z0-9_\\.-]{1,250}\\.conf$"
+
+type SystemdJournaldStageOptions struct {
+	Filename string                      `json:"filename"`
+	Config   SystemdJournaldConfigDropin `json:"config"`
+}
+
+func (SystemdJournaldStageOptions) isStageOptions() {}
+
+func (o SystemdJournaldStageOptions) validate() error {
+	filenameRegex := regexp.MustCompile(configFilenameRegex)
+	if !filenameRegex.MatchString(o.Filename) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("filename %q doesn't conform to schema (%s)", o.Filename, repoFilenameRegex)
+	}
+	if o.Config.Journal == (SystemdJournaldConfigJournalSection{}) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("the 'Journal' section is required")
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func NewSystemdJournaldStage(options *SystemdJournaldStageOptions) *Stage {
+	if err := options.validate(); err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	return &Stage{
+		Type:    "org.osbuild.systemd-journald",
+		Options: options,
+	}
+}
+
+type SystemdJournaldConfigDropin struct {
+	Journal SystemdJournaldConfigJournalSection `json:"Journal"`
+}
+
+type ConfigStorage string
+
+const (
+	StorageVolatile   ConfigStorage = "volatile"
+	StoragePresistent ConfigStorage = "persistent"
+	StorageAuto       ConfigStorage = "auto"
+	StorageNone       ConfigStorage = "none"
+)
+
+type ConfigSplitMode string
+
+const (
+	SplitUuid ConfigSplitMode = "uuid"
+	SplitNone ConfigSplitMode = "none"
+)
+
+type ConfigAudit string
+
+const (
+	AuditYes ConfigAudit = "yes"
+	AuditNo  ConfigAudit = "no"
+)
+
+// 'Journal' configuration section, at least one option must be specified
+type SystemdJournaldConfigJournalSection struct {
+	// Controls where to store journal data.
+	Storage ConfigStorage `json:"Storage,omitempty"`
+
+	// Sets whether the data objects stored in the journal should be
+	// compressed or not. Can also take threshold values.
+	Compress string `json:"Compress,omitempty"`
+
+	// Splits journal files per user or to a single file.
+	SplitMode ConfigSplitMode `json:"SplitMode,omitempty"`
+
+	// Max time to store entries in a single file. By default seconds, may be
+	// sufixed with units (year, month, week, day, h, m) to override this.
+	MaxFileSec string `json:"MaxFileSec,omitempty"`
+
+	// Maximum time to store journal entries. By default seconds, may be sufixed
+	// with units (year, month, week, day, h, m) to override this.
+	MaxRetentionSec string `json:"MaxRetentionSec,omitempty"`
+
+	// Timeout before synchronizing journal files to disk. Minimum 0.
+	SyncIntervalSec int `json:"SyncIntervalSec,omitempty"`
+
+	// Enables/Disables kernel auditing on start-up, leaves it as is if
+	// unspecified.
+	Audit ConfigAudit `json:"Audit,omitempty"`
+}
diff --git a/internal/osbuild/systemd_journald_stage_test.go b/internal/osbuild/systemd_journald_stage_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..550147fed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/osbuild/systemd_journald_stage_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+package osbuild
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestNewSystemdJournalStage(t *testing.T) {
+	options := &SystemdJournaldStageOptions{
+		Filename: "journald-config.conf",
+		Config: SystemdJournaldConfigDropin{
+			Journal: SystemdJournaldConfigJournalSection{
+				Storage:    StoragePresistent,
+				Compress:   "yes",
+				MaxFileSec: "10day",
+				Audit:      AuditYes,
+			},
+		}}
+	expectedStage := &Stage{
+		Type:    "org.osbuild.systemd-journald",
+		Options: options,
+	}
+	actualStage := NewSystemdJournaldStage(options)
+	assert.Equal(t, expectedStage, actualStage)
+}
+
+func TestSystemdJournaldStage_ValidateInvalid(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name    string
+		options SystemdJournaldStageOptions
+	}{
+		{
+			name:    "empty-options",
+			options: SystemdJournaldStageOptions{},
+		},
+		{
+			name: "no-journal-section-options",
+			options: SystemdJournaldStageOptions{
+				Filename: "10-some-file.conf",
+				Config: SystemdJournaldConfigDropin{
+					Journal: SystemdJournaldConfigJournalSection{},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	for idx, te := range tests {
+		t.Run(te.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			assert.Errorf(t, te.options.validate(), "%q didn't return an error [idx: %d]", te.name, idx)
+			assert.Panics(t, func() { NewSystemdJournaldStage(&te.options) })
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestInvalidFilename(t *testing.T) {
+	options := &SystemdJournaldStageOptions{
+		Filename: "invalid-filename",
+		Config: SystemdJournaldConfigDropin{
+			Journal: SystemdJournaldConfigJournalSection{
+				Storage:    StoragePresistent,
+				Compress:   "yes",
+				MaxFileSec: "10day",
+				Audit:      AuditYes,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	assert.Errorf(t, options.validate(), "test didn't return any error ")
+	assert.Panics(t, func() { NewSystemdJournaldStage(options) })
+}