diff --git a/data/labwc-session.target b/data/labwc-session.target
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e71f20e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/data/labwc-session.target
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=labwc session
+Documentation=man:labwc(1) man:systemd.special(7)
+BindsTo=graphical-session.target
+Wants=graphical-session-pre.target
+After=graphical-session-pre.target
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 2c2d8e57..e2d2f585 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -211,6 +211,15 @@ install_data('data/labwc.desktop', install_dir: get_option('datadir') / 'wayland
 
 install_data('data/labwc-portals.conf', install_dir: get_option('datadir') / 'xdg-desktop-portal')
 
+# Install labwc-session.target so that systemd user services with
+# WantedBy=graphical-session.target start under labwc. Labwc activates
+# this target itself in src/config/session.c on autostart.
+systemd = dependency('systemd', required: false)
+if systemd.found()
+  install_data('data/labwc-session.target',
+    install_dir: systemd.get_variable('systemduserunitdir'))
+endif
+
 icons = ['labwc-symbolic.svg', 'labwc.svg']
 foreach icon : icons
   icon_path = join_paths('data', icon)