--- /etc/logrotate.d/varnish    2015-08-13 12:09:54.659835722 +0200
+++ /etc/logrotate.d/varnish    2015-08-13 12:09:43.000000000 +0200
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   delaycompress
   missingok
   postrotate
-    /usr/sbin/invoke-rc.d varnishlog reload > /dev/null
+    systemctl -q is-active varnishlog && /usr/sbin/invoke-rc.d varnishlog reload > /dev/null
   endscript
 }
 
@@ -18,6 +18,6 @@
   delaycompress
   missingok
   postrotate
-    /usr/sbin/invoke-rc.d varnishncsa reload > /dev/null
+    systemctl -q is-active  varnishncsa && /usr/sbin/invoke-rc.d varnishncsa reload > /dev/null
   endscript
 }