diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2370e77..095ed1c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ no database, no data leaving your machine except the requests you send to Ollama
   - [Changing models](#changing-models)
   - [Checking the connection](#checking-the-connection)
 - [Running on your network / from your phone](#running-on-your-network--from-your-phone)
+  - [Keep it running as a service](#keep-it-running-as-a-service-systemd-user-service)
 - [Folders](#folders)
 - [Install as an app (PWA)](#install-as-an-app-pwa)
 - [Security notes](#security-notes)
@@ -378,6 +379,37 @@ Notes for phones:
 - Clipboard paste works best on desktop; on mobile use the camera or photo picker.
 - Add the page to your home screen for a full-screen, app-like experience.
 
+### Keep it running as a service (systemd user service)
+
+`deploy/freezmo.service` runs the production build under **systemd (user)**, so Freezmo comes back by
+itself after a reboot and restarts if it ever crashes:
+
+```bash
+npm run build                                 # the service serves the built app
+mkdir -p ~/.config/systemd/user
+cp deploy/freezmo.service ~/.config/systemd/user/
+systemctl --user daemon-reload
+systemctl --user enable --now freezmo.service
+loginctl enable-linger "$USER"                # start at boot without logging in
+```
+
+| Command | What it does |
+| --- | --- |
+| `systemctl --user status freezmo` | is it up? |
+| `journalctl --user -u freezmo -f` | live logs |
+| `systemctl --user restart freezmo` | after a rebuild |
+| `systemctl --user stop freezmo` | stop it |
+
+It binds `0.0.0.0:3207` exactly like `npm start` and reads `.env.local` from the project directory.
+The unit refuses to start without `.next/BUILD_ID`, so run `npm run build` before enabling it — and
+again after pulling changes.
+
+Because the build and the running server share `.next/`, stop the service before a manual rebuild:
+
+```bash
+systemctl --user stop freezmo && npm run build && systemctl --user start freezmo
+```
+
 ---
 
 ## Folders
@@ -580,6 +612,8 @@ public/
   icons/                 PWA + iOS icons and splash screens
 assets/
   app-icon-source.jpeg   master artwork the icons are rendered from
+deploy/
+  freezmo.service       systemd user unit (auto-start at boot)
 scripts/
   copy-pdf-worker.mjs   copies the pdf.js worker to /public (runs on predev/prebuild)
   make-icons.mjs        regenerates the PWA/iOS icons from the master (one-off tool)
diff --git a/deploy/freezmo.service b/deploy/freezmo.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..87f115e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deploy/freezmo.service
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+[Unit]
+# Freezmo — self-hosted notes-to-study-feed app.
+# Install (per user, no root needed):
+#   mkdir -p ~/.config/systemd/user
+#   cp deploy/freezmo.service ~/.config/systemd/user/
+#   systemctl --user daemon-reload
+#   systemctl --user enable --now freezmo.service
+#   loginctl enable-linger "$USER"     # start at boot without logging in
+# Logs:  journalctl --user -u freezmo -f
+Description=Freezmo (self-hosted study app)
+Documentation=file://%h/freezmo/README.md
+After=network-online.target
+Wants=network-online.target
+# In OLLAMA_AUTH=local mode the daemon should be up first (no-op otherwise).
+After=ollama.service
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+WorkingDirectory=%h/freezmo
+Environment=NODE_ENV=production
+Environment=NEXT_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1
+Environment=PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
+# Refuse to start without a production build — clearer than next crashing in a
+# restart loop. Run `npm run build` in %h/freezmo first.
+AssertPathExists=%h/freezmo/.next/BUILD_ID
+# Next.js loads .env.local (OLLAMA_*) from the working directory itself.
+ExecStart=/bin/node %h/freezmo/node_modules/next/dist/bin/next start -H 0.0.0.0 -p 3207
+Restart=always
+RestartSec=3
+TimeoutStartSec=0
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=default.target