Sticking this into /lib/systemd/system/couchdb.service and "sudo systemctl enable couchdb" seems to work:
$ systemctl status -l couchdb ● couchdb.service - System-wide CouchDB instance Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/couchdb.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled) Active: active (running) since Wed 2015-07-08 07:01:30 CEST; 33s ago Main PID: 619 (beam) CGroup: /system.slice/couchdb.service ├─619 /usr/lib/erlang/erts-6.2/bin/beam -Bd -K true -A 4 -- -root /usr/lib/erlang -progname erl -- -home /var/lib/couchdb -- -noshell -noinput -os_mon start_memsup false start_cpu_sup false disk_space_check_interval 1 disk_almost_full_threshold 1 -sasl errlog_type error -couch_ini /etc/couchdb/default.ini /etc/couchdb/local.ini -s couch └─639 sh -s disksup Jul 08 07:01:30 autopkgtest systemd[1]: Starting System-wide CouchDB instance... Jul 08 07:01:30 autopkgtest couchdb[619]: {error_logger,{{2015,7,8},{7,1,30}},std_error,"File operation error: eacces. Target: /lost+found/ebin. Function: read_file_info. Process: code_server."} Jul 08 07:01:30 autopkgtest couchdb[619]: {error_logger,{{2015,7,8},{7,1,30}},std_error,"File operation error: eacces. Target: /root/ebin. Function: read_file_info. Process: code_server."} Jul 08 07:01:30 autopkgtest couchdb[619]: =ERROR REPORT==== 8-Jul-2015::09:01:30 === Jul 08 07:01:30 autopkgtest couchdb[619]: File operation error: eacces. Target: /lost+found/ebin. Function: read_file_info. Process: code_server. Jul 08 07:01:30 autopkgtest couchdb[619]: =ERROR REPORT==== 8-Jul-2015::09:01:30 === Jul 08 07:01:30 autopkgtest couchdb[619]: File operation error: eacces. Target: /root/ebin. Function: read_file_info. Process: code_server. Jul 08 07:01:30 autopkgtest couchdb[619]: Apache CouchDB 1.6.0 (LogLevel=info) is starting. Jul 08 07:01:30 autopkgtest couchdb[619]: Apache CouchDB has started. Time to relax. Jul 08 07:01:30 autopkgtest couchdb[619]: [info] [<0.32.0>] Apache CouchDB has started on http://127.0.0.1:5984/ -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1457464 Title: Init fails to start CouchDB after upgrade to Vivid To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/couchdb/+bug/1457464/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs