diff --git a/client/systray/startup-creator.go b/client/systray/startup-creator.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cb354856d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/systray/startup-creator.go
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+// Copyright (c) Tailscale Inc & AUTHORS
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+
+//go:build cgo || !darwin
+
+// Package systray provides a minimal Tailscale systray application.
+package systray
+
+import (
+	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
+	_ "embed"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+//go:embed tailscale-systray.service
+var embedSystemd string
+
+func InstallStartupScript(initSystem string) error {
+	switch initSystem {
+	case "systemd":
+		return installSystemd()
+	default:
+		return fmt.Errorf("unsupported init system '%s'", initSystem)
+	}
+}
+
+func installSystemd() error {
+	// Find the path to tailscale, just in case it's not where the example file
+	// has it placed, and replace that before writing the file.
+	tailscaleBin, err := exec.LookPath("tailscale")
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to find tailscale binary %w", err)
+	}
+
+	var output bytes.Buffer
+	scanner := bufio.NewScanner(strings.NewReader(embedSystemd))
+	for scanner.Scan() {
+		line := scanner.Text()
+		if strings.HasPrefix(line, "ExecStart=") {
+			line = fmt.Sprintf("ExecStart=%s systray", tailscaleBin)
+		}
+		output.WriteString(line + "\n")
+	}
+
+	configDir, err := os.UserConfigDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("unable to locate user home: %w", err)
+		}
+		configDir = filepath.Join(homeDir, ".config")
+	}
+
+	systemdDir := filepath.Join(configDir, "systemd", "user")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(systemdDir, 0o755); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed creating systemd uuser dir: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	serviceFile := filepath.Join(systemdDir, "tailscale-systray.service")
+
+	if err := os.WriteFile(serviceFile, output.Bytes(), 0o755); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed writing systemd user service: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("Successfully installed systemd service to: %s\n", serviceFile)
+	fmt.Println("To enable and start the service, run:")
+	fmt.Println("  systemctl --user daemon-reload")
+	fmt.Println("  systemctl --user enable --now tailscale-systray")
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/client/systray/tailscale-systray.service b/client/systray/tailscale-systray.service
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a4d987563
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/systray/tailscale-systray.service
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Tailscale System Tray
+After=systemd.service
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/tailscale systray
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=default.target
diff --git a/cmd/tailscale/cli/systray.go b/cmd/tailscale/cli/systray.go
index 05d688faa..c0296ae26 100644
--- a/cmd/tailscale/cli/systray.go
+++ b/cmd/tailscale/cli/systray.go
@@ -7,17 +7,41 @@ package cli
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/peterbourgon/ff/v3/ffcli"
 	"tailscale.com/client/systray"
 )
 
+var systrayArgs struct {
+	initSystem     string
+	installStartup bool
+}
+
 var systrayCmd = &ffcli.Command{
 	Name:       "systray",
 	ShortUsage: "tailscale systray",
 	ShortHelp:  "Run a systray application to manage Tailscale",
-	Exec: func(_ context.Context, _ []string) error {
-		new(systray.Menu).Run(&localClient)
-		return nil
-	},
+	LongHelp: `Run a systray application to manage Tailscale.
+To have the application run on startup, use the --enable-startup flag.`,
+	Exec: runSystray,
+	FlagSet: (func() *flag.FlagSet {
+		fs := newFlagSet("systray")
+		fs.StringVar(&systrayArgs.initSystem, "enable-startup", "",
+			"Install startup script for init system. Currently supported systems are [systemd].")
+		return fs
+	})(),
+}
+
+func runSystray(ctx context.Context, _ []string) error {
+	if systrayArgs.initSystem != "" {
+		if err := systray.InstallStartupScript(systrayArgs.initSystem); err != nil {
+			fmt.Printf("%s\n\n", err.Error())
+			return flag.ErrHelp
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+	new(systray.Menu).Run(&localClient)
+	return nil
 }