diff --git a/systemd/README.md b/systemd/README.md
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+# Systemd Timer for tmux-resurrect Auto-Save
+
+An alternative to the default `status-right` based auto-save that uses a systemd user timer instead.
+
+## Why?
+
+The default auto-save mechanism uses `#()` command substitution in tmux's `status-right`. This command runs on every status bar refresh for every attached client. With many sessions and clients, this can cause significant CPU overhead.
+
+A systemd timer runs the save script once per interval, regardless of the number of sessions or clients.
+
+## Setup
+
+Copy the unit files to your systemd user directory:
+
+```bash
+cp systemd/tmux-resurrect-save.service ~/.config/systemd/user/
+cp systemd/tmux-resurrect-save.timer ~/.config/systemd/user/
+```
+
+Adjust the path in the service file if your tmux-resurrect is installed somewhere other than `~/.tmux/plugins/tmux-resurrect/`.
+
+Enable and start the timer:
+
+```bash
+systemctl --user daemon-reload
+systemctl --user enable --now tmux-resurrect-save.timer
+```
+
+Then disable the status-right based auto-save in your `tmux.conf`:
+
+```tmux
+set -g @continuum-save-interval '0'
+```
+
+## Verify
+
+Check the timer status:
+
+```bash
+systemctl --user list-timers | grep tmux
+```
+
+Manually trigger a save:
+
+```bash
+systemctl --user start tmux-resurrect-save.service
+```
diff --git a/systemd/tmux-resurrect-save.service b/systemd/tmux-resurrect-save.service
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+[Unit]
+Description=Auto-save tmux sessions via tmux-resurrect
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+ExecStart=/bin/bash -c 'if tmux info &>/dev/null; then "$HOME/.tmux/plugins/tmux-resurrect/scripts/save.sh" quiet; fi'
diff --git a/systemd/tmux-resurrect-save.timer b/systemd/tmux-resurrect-save.timer
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+[Unit]
+Description=Auto-save tmux sessions every 15 minutes
+
+[Timer]
+OnBootSec=5min
+OnUnitActiveSec=15min
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=timers.target