diff --git a/data/calls-daemon.service.in b/data/calls-daemon.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb83118
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/calls-daemon.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=A phone dialer and call handler (daemon mode)
+PartOf=graphical-session.target
+
+[Service]
+BusName=org.gnome.Calls
+ExecStart=@bindir@/gnome-calls --daemon
+Type=dbus
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=graphical-session.target
diff --git a/data/meson.build b/data/meson.build
index 080a2a1..4fe62e2 100644
--- a/data/meson.build
+++ b/data/meson.build
@@ -20,11 +20,11 @@ desktop_daemon_file = i18n.merge_file(
   install_dir : join_paths(sysconfdir, 'xdg/autostart')
 )
 
-# DBus service
 service_data = configuration_data()
 service_data.set('bindir', full_bindir)
-service_file = 'org.gnome.Calls.service'
 
+# DBus service
+service_file = 'org.gnome.Calls.service'
 configure_file(
   input : service_file + '.in',
   output : service_file,
@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@ configure_file(
   install_dir : full_servicedir,
 )
 
+# Systemd user service
+systemd_unit = 'calls-daemon.service'
+configure_file(
+  input : systemd_unit + '.in',
+  output : systemd_unit,
+  configuration : service_data,
+  install : true,
+  install_dir : systemd_user_unit_dir,
+)
+
 desktop_utils = find_program('desktop-file-validate', required: false)
 if desktop_utils.found()
   test('Validate desktop file',
diff --git a/data/org.gnome.Calls-daemon.desktop.in b/data/org.gnome.Calls-daemon.desktop.in
index 0b9febb..0d2e342 100644
--- a/data/org.gnome.Calls-daemon.desktop.in
+++ b/data/org.gnome.Calls-daemon.desktop.in
@@ -15,3 +15,4 @@ Terminal=false
 Categories=Network;GNOME;GTK;Telephony;
 X-GNOME-AutoRestart=true
 X-GNOME-UsesNotifications=true
+X-GNOME-HiddenUnderSystemd=true
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 5794842..8961a1a 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -59,6 +59,16 @@ libcall_ui_dep = dependency('call-ui',
   default_options: ['tests=false', 'examples=false', 'gtk_doc=false'],
 )
 
+systemd_user_unit_dir = get_option('systemd_user_unit_dir')
+systemd_dep = dependency('systemd', required: false)
+if systemd_user_unit_dir == ''
+  if systemd_dep.found()
+    systemd_user_unit_dir = systemd_dep.get_variable('systemd_user_unit_dir')
+  else
+    systemd_user_unit_dir = prefix / libdir / 'systemd/user'
+  endif
+endif
+
 config_data = configuration_data()
 config_data.set_quoted('APP_ID', calls_id)
 config_data.set_quoted('APP_DATA_NAME', calls_name)
@@ -145,6 +155,7 @@ summary({
   'Build manpages': get_option('manpages'),
   'Build tests': get_option('tests'),
   'Use gstreamers debug API': get_option('gst_debug'),
+  'Directory for systemd user units': systemd_user_unit_dir,
 })
 
 subdir('po')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index 264489c..d9c08c9 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -13,3 +13,7 @@ option('manpages',
 option('gst_debug',
        type: 'boolean', value: true,
        description: 'Whether to use gstreamers debugging API')
+
+option('systemd_user_unit_dir',
+       type: 'string', value: '',
+       description: 'Directory for systemd user units')