diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 341054289..290b6eeb5 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ option(WARNINGS_AS_ERRORS "treat all warnings as errors. turn off for developmen
 option(TRACY_ROOT "include tracy profiler source" OFF)
 option(VENDOR_LIBSODIUM "use vendored libsodium" OFF)
 option(WITH_TESTS "build unit tests" ON)
+option(WITH_SYSTEMD "enable systemd integration for sd_notify" OFF)
 
 include(cmake/target_link_libraries_system.cmake)
 include(cmake/add_import_library.cmake)
@@ -46,8 +47,6 @@ list(APPEND CMAKE_MODULE_PATH "${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/cmake")
 include(MacroEnsureOutOfSourceBuild)
 macro_ensure_out_of_source_build("${PROJECT_NAME} requires an out-of-source build.  Create a build directory and run 'cmake ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR} [options]'.")
 
-
-
 include(cmake/basic_definitions.cmake)
 
 if(MSVC_VERSION)
@@ -228,6 +227,15 @@ if(JEMALLOC)
   set(MALLOC_LIB jemalloc)
 endif(JEMALLOC)
 
+
+if(WITH_SYSTEMD)
+  pkg_check_modules(SD REQUIRED libsystemd)
+  add_definitions(-DWITH_SYSTEMD)
+  include_directories(${SD_INCLUDE_DIRS})
+  set(SD_LIBS ${SD_LDFLAGS})
+endif()
+
+
 set(ABSEIL_DIR vendor/abseil-cpp)
 include_directories(SYSTEM ${ABSEIL_DIR})
 add_subdirectory(vendor/cxxopts)
@@ -248,7 +256,7 @@ if(ANDROID)
   set(ANDROID_PLATFORM_SRC android/ifaddrs.c)
 endif(ANDROID)
 
-set(LIBS ${MALLOC_LIB} ${FS_LIB} ${LIBUV_LIBRARY})
+set(LIBS ${MALLOC_LIB} ${FS_LIB} ${LIBUV_LIBRARY} ${SD_LIBS})
 if(TRACY_ROOT)
   list(APPEND LIBS -ldl)
 endif()
diff --git a/llarp/router/router.cpp b/llarp/router/router.cpp
index 9e067e7fa..3d2438de3 100644
--- a/llarp/router/router.cpp
+++ b/llarp/router/router.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@
 #if defined(ANDROID) || defined(IOS)
 #include <unistd.h>
 #endif
+#if defined(WITH_SYSTEMD)
+#include <systemd/sd-daemon.h>
+#endif
 
 namespace llarp
 {
@@ -660,6 +663,10 @@ namespace llarp
     // LogDebug("tick router");
     const auto now = Now();
 
+#if defined(WITH_SYSTEMD)
+    ::sd_notify(0, "WATCHDOG=1");
+#endif
+
     routerProfiling().Tick();
 
     if(ShouldReportStats(now))
@@ -1029,6 +1036,9 @@ namespace llarp
     ScheduleTicker(1000);
     _running.store(true);
     _startedAt = Now();
+#if defined(WITH_SYSTEMD)
+    ::sd_notify(0, "READY=1");
+#endif
     return _running;
   }
 
diff --git a/llarp/util/thread/threading.hpp b/llarp/util/thread/threading.hpp
index 4f88d639f..10ad84d3a 100644
--- a/llarp/util/thread/threading.hpp
+++ b/llarp/util/thread/threading.hpp
@@ -163,7 +163,9 @@ namespace llarp
       void
       TryAccess(F visit) const LOCKS_EXCLUDED(_access)
       {
+#if defined(LOKINET_DEBUG)
         NullLock lock(&_access);
+#endif
         visit();
       }