diff --git a/services/systemd/espeakup@.service.in b/services/systemd/espeakup@.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..efe9ff0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/services/systemd/espeakup@.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Software speech output for Speakup
+Documentation=man:espeakup(8)
+Wants=modprobe@speakup_soft.service
+After=modprobe@speakup_soft.service sound.target
+Conflicts=espeakup.service
+
+[Service]
+Type=forking
+PIDFile=/run/espeakup.pid
+ExecStart=@bindir@/espeakup --default-voice=%I
+ExecReload=kill -HUP $MAINPID
+Restart=always
+Nice=-10
+OOMScoreAdjust=-900
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=sound.target
diff --git a/services/systemd/meson.build b/services/systemd/meson.build
index 9ae652e..f51d44f 100644
--- a/services/systemd/meson.build
+++ b/services/systemd/meson.build
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ service_file = configure_file(
   configuration : unit_conf
 )
 
-install_data(service_file,
+user_service_file = configure_file(
+  input : 'espeakup@.service.in',
+  output : 'espeakup@.service',
+  configuration : unit_conf
+)
+
+install_data(service_file, user_service_file,
   install_dir : unitdir
 )