diff --git a/cmd/snap-failure/cmd_snapd.go b/cmd/snap-failure/cmd_snapd.go
index 1892e728f9d..2062b426eae 100644
--- a/cmd/snap-failure/cmd_snapd.go
+++ b/cmd/snap-failure/cmd_snapd.go
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/dirs"
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/logger"
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/osutil"
+	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/release"
+	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/snapdtool"
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -112,6 +114,16 @@ var (
 )
 
 func (c *cmdSnapd) Execute(args []string) error {
+	if release.OnClassic {
+		// snap failure was invoked in a classic system, while there are
+		// scenarios in which it may make sense, they are limited to a
+		// case when snapd is being reexec'd from the snapd snap
+		if !snapdtool.DistroSupportsReExec() || !snapdtool.IsReexecEnabled() {
+			logger.Noticef("re-exec unsupported or disabled")
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+
 	var snapdPath string
 	// find previous the snapd snap
 	prevRev, err := prevRevision("snapd")
diff --git a/cmd/snap-failure/cmd_snapd_test.go b/cmd/snap-failure/cmd_snapd_test.go
index 729066defde..3143b1187ee 100644
--- a/cmd/snap-failure/cmd_snapd_test.go
+++ b/cmd/snap-failure/cmd_snapd_test.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	failure "github.com/snapcore/snapd/cmd/snap-failure"
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/dirs"
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/osutil"
+	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/release"
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/snap"
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/testutil"
 )
@@ -438,3 +439,38 @@ func (r *failureSuite) TestStickySnapdSocket(c *C) {
 	// make sure the socket file was deleted
 	c.Assert(osutil.FileExists(dirs.SnapdSocket), Equals, false)
 }
+
+func (r *failureSuite) testNoReexec(c *C) {
+	origArgs := os.Args
+	defer func() { os.Args = origArgs }()
+
+	writeSeqFile(c, "snapd", snap.R(100), []*snap.SideInfo{
+		{Revision: snap.R(99)},
+		{Revision: snap.R(100)},
+	})
+
+	// mock snapd command from 'previous' revision
+	snapdCmd := testutil.MockCommand(c, filepath.Join(dirs.SnapMountDir, "snapd", "99", "/usr/lib/snapd/snapd"), "exit 1")
+	defer snapdCmd.Restore()
+
+	os.Args = []string{"snap-failure", "snapd"}
+	err := failure.Run()
+	c.Check(err, IsNil)
+
+	c.Check(snapdCmd.Calls(), HasLen, 0)
+	c.Check(r.systemctlCmd.Calls(), HasLen, 0)
+	c.Check(r.log.String(), testutil.Contains, "re-exec unsupported or disabled")
+}
+
+func (r *failureSuite) TestReexecDisabled(c *C) {
+	os.Setenv("SNAP_REEXEC", "0")
+	defer os.Unsetenv("SNAP_REEXEC")
+	r.testNoReexec(c)
+
+}
+
+func (r *failureSuite) TestReexecUnsupported(c *C) {
+	r.AddCleanup(release.MockReleaseInfo(&release.OS{ID: "fedora"}))
+	dirs.SetRootDir(r.rootdir)
+	r.testNoReexec(c)
+}
diff --git a/cmd/snap-failure/main_test.go b/cmd/snap-failure/main_test.go
index 1ae4d81560d..a5e3411abc8 100644
--- a/cmd/snap-failure/main_test.go
+++ b/cmd/snap-failure/main_test.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	failure "github.com/snapcore/snapd/cmd/snap-failure"
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/dirs"
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/logger"
+	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/release"
 	"github.com/snapcore/snapd/testutil"
 )
 
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ func (r *failureSuite) SetUpTest(c *C) {
 	failure.Stderr = r.stderr
 	failure.Stdout = r.stdout
 
+	r.AddCleanup(release.MockReleaseInfo(&release.OS{ID: "ubuntu"}))
+
 	r.rootdir = c.MkDir()
 	dirs.SetRootDir(r.rootdir)
 	r.AddCleanup(func() { dirs.SetRootDir("/") })