diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 766bf012f..1f5fdae43 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -153,6 +153,9 @@ subdir('client')
 subdir('swaybg')
 subdir('swaybar')
 subdir('swaynag')
+if systemd.found()
+  subdir('systemd')
+endif
 
 config = configuration_data()
 config.set('datadir', join_paths(prefix, datadir))
diff --git a/systemd/10-systemd b/systemd/10-systemd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..352aed6fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/systemd/10-systemd
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# should go to /etc/sway/config.d/10-systemd
+#
+exec systemctl --user import-environment
+exec systemctl --user start sway-session.target
diff --git a/systemd/meson.build b/systemd/meson.build
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6df652386
--- /dev/null
+++ b/systemd/meson.build
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+systemd_dep = dependency('systemd')
+
+if systemd_dep.found()
+  systemd_units = files(
+      'sway-session.target',
+  )
+  user_units_dir = systemd_dep.get_pkgconfig_variable('systemduserunitdir')
+  install_data(systemd_units, install_dir: user_units_dir)
+
+  sway_systemd_scripts = files(
+      '10-systemd',
+  )
+
+  install_data(sway_systemd_scripts, install_dir: sysconfdir + '/sway/config.d')
+endif
diff --git a/systemd/sway-session.target b/systemd/sway-session.target
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..db9496766
--- /dev/null
+++ b/systemd/sway-session.target
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=sway compositor session
+Documentation=man:systemd.special(7)
+BindsTo=graphical-session.target
+Wants=graphical-session-pre.target
+After=graphical-session-pre.target
+