diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 59d03d4e..5a957412 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -28,3 +28,4 @@ libtool
 ratbagctl
 ratbagd
 stamp-*
+ratbagd.service
diff --git a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
index b99755c3..faaa1d2b 100644
--- a/Makefile.am
+++ b/Makefile.am
@@ -96,3 +96,12 @@ ratbagd_LDADD = \
 	$(LIBUDEV_LIBS) \
 	$(LIBSYSTEMD_LIBS) \
 	$(LIBRATBAG_LIBS)
+
+unitdir = $(SYSTEMD_UNIT_DIR)
+unit_DATA = ratbagd.service
+
+$(unit_DATA): $(unit_DATA).in
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(SED) -e 's|__BIN_PREFIX__|$(bindir)|g' < $< > $@
+
+EXTRA_DIST += ratbagd.service.in
+BUILT_SOURCES += ratbagd.service
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index cb647f0d..f017d8bf 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -131,6 +131,16 @@ PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBUDEV], [libudev])
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBSYSTEMD], [libsystemd >= 227])
 PKG_CHECK_MODULES([LIBRATBAG], [libratbag])
 
+# ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# options
+AC_ARG_WITH([systemd-unit-dir],
+	    AS_HELP_STRING([--with-systemd-unit-dir=DIR],
+			   [systemd unit directory [[default=$libdir/systemd/system]]]),
+	    [unitdir="$withval"],
+	    [unitdir="$libdir/systemd/system"])
+SYSTEMD_UNIT_DIR=${unitdir}
+AC_SUBST(SYSTEMD_UNIT_DIR)
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # report
 
diff --git a/ratbagd.service.in b/ratbagd.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..053bc77f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ratbagd.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Daemon to introspect and modify configuable mice
+
+[Service]
+Type=dbus
+BusName=org.freedesktop.ratbag1
+ExecStart=__BIN_PREFIX__/ratbagd
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target