diff --git a/cmd/waku/node.go b/cmd/waku/node.go
index 92da475e..196eda80 100644
--- a/cmd/waku/node.go
+++ b/cmd/waku/node.go
@@ -73,13 +73,15 @@ func scalePerc(value float64) float64 {
 
 const dialTimeout = 7 * time.Second
 
+const nonRecoverableErrorCode = 166
+
 func nonRecoverErrorMsg(format string, a ...any) error {
 	err := fmt.Errorf(format, a...)
 	return nonRecoverError(err)
 }
 
 func nonRecoverError(err error) error {
-	return cli.Exit(err.Error(), 166)
+	return cli.Exit(err.Error(), nonRecoverableErrorCode)
 }
 
 // Execute starts a go-waku node with settings determined by the Options parameter
diff --git a/docs/operators/how-to/setup-systemd.md b/docs/operators/how-to/setup-systemd.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..da34e36b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/operators/how-to/setup-systemd.md
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+# Set up a systemd service
+
+This page will take you through how to set up a `systemd` service for go-waku.
+
+`systemd` is used in order to have a command or a program run when your device boots (i.e. add it as a service).
+Once this is done, you can start/stop enable/disable from the linux prompt.
+
+!!! abstract "`systemd`"
+    [`systemd`](https://systemd.io/) is a service manager designed specifically for Linux: it cannot be used on Windows / Mac.
+    You can find out more about `systemd` [here](https://fedoramagazine.org/what-is-an-init-system/).
+
+!!! note "Package manager installations"
+    When installing go-waku via your package manager, a user and service will already have been created for you and you can skip straight to the configuration section.
+
+### 1. Create the service file
+
+`systemd` services are created by placing a [service](https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/systemd.service.html) file in `/etc/systemd/system`, or, if go-waku was installed by a package manager, `/usr/lib/systemd/system`.
+
+A good starting point is the [example service file](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/waku-org/go-waku/scripts/linux/waku.service) in the go-waku repository.
+
+```sh
+# Download example service file and save it to `/etc/systemd/system/go-waku.service`
+curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/waku-org/go-waku/scripts/linux/go-waku.service | sudo tee /etc/systemd/system/waku.service > /dev/null
+```
+
+The format of service files is documented in the [systemd manual](https://www.freedesktop.org/software/systemd/man/latest/systemd.service.html).
+
+!!! note
+    go-waku has two return codes for errors:
+    - `1` returned for recoverable errors
+    - `166` returned for non-recoverable errors.
+    The example service file uses 166 in `RestartPreventExitStatus` to prevent automated restarts for non recoverable errors.
+
+### 2. Configure your service
+
+Service is configured by editing the service file directly, or using `systemctl edit` to create an override.
+
+```sh
+# Edit the systemd file to match your installation
+sudo vi /etc/systemd/system/waku.service
+
+# If you installed go-waku via the package manager, use `systemctl edit` instead
+sudo systemctl edit waku.service
+```
+
+!!! note
+    The example assumes go-waku was installed in `/usr/bin/waku`.
+    If you installed go-waku elsewhere, make sure to update this path.
+
+### 3. Notify systemd of the newly added service
+
+Every time you add or update a service, the `systemd` daemon must be notified of the changes:
+
+```sh
+sudo systemctl daemon-reload
+```
+
+### 4. Start the service
+
+```sh
+# start go-waku node
+sudo systemctl start waku
+
+# (Optional) Set go-waku to start automatically at boot
+sudo systemctl enable waku
+```
+
+### 5. Check the status of the service
+
+`systemctl status` will show if go-waku is up and running, or has stopped for some reason.
+
+```sh
+sudo systemctl status waku.service
+```
+
+You can also follow the logs using the following command:
+
+```sh
+sudo journalctl -uf waku.service
+```
+
+This will show you the waku logs at the default setting. Press `ctrl-c` to stop following the logs.
+
+To rewind logs — by one day, say — run:
+
+```sh
+sudo journalctl -u waku.service --since yesterday
+```
diff --git a/scripts/linux/fpm-build.sh b/scripts/linux/fpm-build.sh
index b3700821..01397dbf 100755
--- a/scripts/linux/fpm-build.sh
+++ b/scripts/linux/fpm-build.sh
@@ -18,28 +18,28 @@ cp ${parent_path}/build/waku ${tmpdir}
 
 strip --strip-unneeded ${tmpdir}/waku
 
+cp ${parent_path}/scripts/linux/waku.service ${tmpdir}
+
 pushd ${tmpdir}
 
-fpm_build () {
-    fpm \
-    -s dir -t $1 \
-    -p gowaku-${VERSION}-x86_64.$1 \
-    --name go-waku \
-    --license "MIT, Apache 2.0" \
-    --version ${VERSION} \
-    --architecture x86_64 \
-    --depends libc6 \
-    --description "Go implementation of Waku v2 protocol" \
-    --url "https://github.com/waku-org/go-waku" \
-    --maintainer "Richard Ramos <richard@status.im>" \
-    waku=/usr/bin/waku
-}
+fpm \
+  -s dir -t deb \
+  -p gowaku-${VERSION}-x86_64.deb \
+  --name go-waku \
+  --license "MIT, Apache 2.0" \
+  --version ${VERSION} \
+  --architecture x86_64 \
+  --depends libc6 \
+  --description "Go implementation of Waku v2 protocol" \
+  --url "https://github.com/waku-org/go-waku" \
+  --maintainer "Richard Ramos <richard@status.im>" \
+  --deb-systemd=waku.service \
+  waku=/usr/bin/waku
 
-fpm_build "deb"
-fpm_build "rpm"
-
-ls
+fpm -s deb -t rpm -p gowaku-${VERSION}-x86_64.rpm *.deb
 
 mv *.deb *.rpm ${parent_path}/build/.
 
+ls ${parent_path}/build/.
+
 popd
diff --git a/scripts/linux/waku.service b/scripts/linux/waku.service
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1d40db7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/linux/waku.service
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# To configure the service, use `systemctl edit waku.service`
+# and override the environment variables in this file
+#
+# To completely override the start command, override the `ExecStart` value
+# instead by first emptying it, then specifying a new one:
+#
+# [Service]
+# ExecStart=
+# ExecStart=/usr/bin/waku --cluster-id=1
+
+[Unit]
+Description=Waku
+Wants=network-online.target
+After=network-online.target
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
+
+[Service]
+# TWN
+Environment=CLUSTER_ID=1
+
+# Default ports
+Environment=TCP_PORT=9000
+Environment=REST_ENABLED=true
+Environment=REST_PORT=8645
+Environment=METRICS_ENABLED=true
+Environment=METRICS_PORT=8008
+
+# Default group = waku
+WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/waku
+TimeoutSec=1200
+Restart=always
+
+# List of non-recoverable error codes
+RestartPreventExitStatus=166
+
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/waku \
+  --cluster-id=${CLUSTER_ID} \
+  --port=${TCP_PORT} \
+  --rest=${REST_ENABLED} \
+  --rest-port=${REST_PORT} \
+  --metrics=${METRICS_ENABLED} \
+  --metrics-port=${METRICS_PORT}