diff --git a/playbooks/start-mergers-executors.yaml b/playbooks/start-mergers-executors.yaml
index 1867611a6f..540cb8d1b2 100644
--- a/playbooks/start-mergers-executors.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/start-mergers-executors.yaml
@@ -6,4 +6,7 @@
 
 - hosts: zuul-executor
   tasks:
-    - shell: systemctl start zuul-executor
+    - shell:
+        cmd: docker-compose up -d
+        chdir: /etc/zuul-executor
+
diff --git a/playbooks/stop-mergers-executors.yaml b/playbooks/stop-mergers-executors.yaml
index 81a3d4e1f4..b098f693ad 100644
--- a/playbooks/stop-mergers-executors.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/stop-mergers-executors.yaml
@@ -6,4 +6,7 @@
 
 - hosts: zuul-executor
   tasks:
-    - shell: systemctl stop zuul-executor
+    - shell:
+        cmd: docker-compose down
+        chdir: /etc/zuul-executor
+