diff --git a/docs/gateway.md b/docs/gateway.md
index e20badea3..8b53b38fd 100644
--- a/docs/gateway.md
+++ b/docs/gateway.md
@@ -188,6 +188,14 @@ Then enable the service:
 systemctl --user enable --now clawdbot-gateway.service
 ```
 
+**Alternative (system service)** - for always-on or multi-user servers, you can
+install a systemd **system** unit instead of a user unit (no lingering needed).
+Create `/etc/systemd/system/clawdbot-gateway.service`, set `User=` and
+`WorkingDirectory=`, then enable with:
+```
+sudo systemctl enable --now clawdbot-gateway.service
+```
+
 ## Supervision (Windows scheduled task)
 - Onboarding installs a Scheduled Task named `Clawdbot Gateway` (runs on user logon).
 - Requires a logged-in user session; for headless setups use a system service or a task configured to run without a logged-in user (not shipped).
diff --git a/docs/setup.md b/docs/setup.md
index e8d230c5c..5a580df8f 100644
--- a/docs/setup.md
+++ b/docs/setup.md
@@ -109,6 +109,18 @@ pnpm clawdbot health
 - Keep `~/clawd` and `~/.clawdbot/` as “your stuff”; don’t put personal prompts/config into the `clawdbot` repo.
 - Updating source: `git pull` + `pnpm install` (when lockfile changed) + keep using `pnpm gateway:watch`.
 
+## Linux (systemd user service)
+
+Linux installs use a systemd **user** service. By default, systemd stops user
+services on logout/idle, which kills the Gateway. Enable lingering:
+
+```bash
+sudo loginctl enable-linger $USER
+```
+
+For always-on or multi-user servers, consider a **system** service instead of a
+user service (no lingering needed). See `docs/gateway.md` for the systemd notes.
+
 ## Related docs
 
 - `docs/gateway.md` (Gateway runbook; flags, supervision, ports)
diff --git a/src/commands/systemd-linger.ts b/src/commands/systemd-linger.ts
index c1043e73e..5f6af2abb 100644
--- a/src/commands/systemd-linger.ts
+++ b/src/commands/systemd-linger.ts
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ export async function ensureSystemdUserLingerInteractive(params: {
     params.reason ??
     "Systemd user services stop when you log out or go idle, which kills the Gateway.";
   const actionNote = params.requireConfirm
-    ? "We can enable lingering now (needs sudo; writes /var/lib/systemd/linger)."
-    : "Enabling lingering now (needs sudo; writes /var/lib/systemd/linger).";
+    ? "We can enable lingering now (may require sudo; writes /var/lib/systemd/linger)."
+    : "Enabling lingering now (may require sudo; writes /var/lib/systemd/linger).";
   await prompter.note(`${reason}\n${actionNote}`, title);
 
   if (params.requireConfirm && prompter.confirm) {
@@ -60,6 +60,15 @@ export async function ensureSystemdUserLingerInteractive(params: {
     }
   }
 
+  const resultNoSudo = await enableSystemdUserLinger({
+    env,
+    user: status.user,
+  });
+  if (resultNoSudo.ok) {
+    await prompter.note(`Enabled systemd lingering for ${status.user}.`, title);
+    return;
+  }
+
   const result = await enableSystemdUserLinger({
     env,
     user: status.user,
diff --git a/src/wizard/onboarding.ts b/src/wizard/onboarding.ts
index 576a5a466..9ad0ef2f7 100644
--- a/src/wizard/onboarding.ts
+++ b/src/wizard/onboarding.ts
@@ -489,6 +489,17 @@ export async function runOnboardingWizard(
   nextConfig = applyWizardMetadata(nextConfig, { command: "onboard", mode });
   await writeConfigFile(nextConfig);
 
+  await ensureSystemdUserLingerInteractive({
+    runtime,
+    prompter: {
+      confirm: prompter.confirm,
+      note: prompter.note,
+    },
+    reason:
+      "Linux installs use a systemd user service by default. Without lingering, systemd stops the user session on logout/idle and kills the Gateway.",
+    requireConfirm: false,
+  });
+
   const installDaemon = await prompter.confirm({
     message: "Install Gateway daemon (recommended)",
     initialValue: true,
@@ -539,16 +550,6 @@ export async function runOnboardingWizard(
       });
     }
 
-    await ensureSystemdUserLingerInteractive({
-      runtime,
-      prompter: {
-        confirm: prompter.confirm,
-        note: prompter.note,
-      },
-      reason:
-        "Linux installs use a systemd user service. Without lingering, systemd stops the user session on logout/idle and kills the Gateway.",
-      requireConfirm: true,
-    });
   }
 
   await sleep(1500);