diff --git a/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/methods.go b/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/methods.go
index 37d82b1..f80b6dd 100644
--- a/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/methods.go
+++ b/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/methods.go
@@ -128,10 +128,7 @@ func (c *Conn) ReloadOrTryRestartUnit(name string, mode string) (string, error)
 // unique. mode is the same as in StartUnit(), properties contains properties
 // of the unit.
 func (c *Conn) StartTransientUnit(name string, mode string, properties ...Property) (string, error) {
-	// the dbus interface for this method does not use the last argument and
-	// should simply be given an empty list.  We use a concrete type here
-	// (instead of the more appropriate interface{}) to satisfy the dbus library.
-	return c.runJob("org.freedesktop.systemd1.Manager.StartTransientUnit", name, mode, properties, make([]string, 0))
+	return c.runJob("org.freedesktop.systemd1.Manager.StartTransientUnit", name, mode, properties, make([]PropertyCollection, 0))
 }
 
 // KillUnit takes the unit name and a UNIX signal number to send.  All of the unit's
diff --git a/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/methods_test.go b/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/methods_test.go
index 09bd212..64d4b8e 100644
--- a/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/methods_test.go
+++ b/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/methods_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 package dbus
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
+	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
@@ -153,3 +155,59 @@ func TestGetUnitPropertiesRejectsInvalidName(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("Expected an error, got nil")
 	}
 }
+
+// Ensure that basic transient unit starting and stopping works.
+func TestStartStopTransientUnit(t *testing.T) {
+	conn := setupConn(t)
+
+	props := []Property{
+		PropExecStart([]string{"/bin/sleep", "400"}, false),
+	}
+	target := fmt.Sprintf("testing-transient-%d.service", rand.Int())
+
+	// Start the unit
+	job, err := conn.StartTransientUnit(target, "replace", props...)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if job != "done" {
+		t.Fatal("Job is not done, %v", job)
+	}
+
+	units, err := conn.ListUnits()
+
+	var unit *UnitStatus
+	for _, u := range units {
+		if u.Name == target {
+			unit = &u
+		}
+	}
+
+	if unit == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Test unit not found in list")
+	}
+
+	if unit.ActiveState != "active" {
+		t.Fatalf("Test unit not active")
+	}
+
+	// 3. Stop the unit
+	job, err = conn.StopUnit(target, "replace")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	units, err = conn.ListUnits()
+
+	unit = nil
+	for _, u := range units {
+		if u.Name == target {
+			unit = &u
+		}
+	}
+
+	if unit != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Test unit found in list, should be stopped")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/properties.go b/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/properties.go
index 6347f0d..c813255 100644
--- a/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/properties.go
+++ b/src/github.com/coreos/go-systemd/dbus/properties.go
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ type Property struct {
 	Value dbus.Variant
 }
 
+type PropertyCollection struct {
+	Name       string
+	Properties []Property
+}
+
 type execStart struct {
 	Path             string   // the binary path to execute
 	Args             []string // an array with all arguments to pass to the executed command, starting with argument 0