diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 027ad2c37..d77bab8bf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ You'll need the following dependencies:
  - libjson-glib-dev
  - libpantheon-wayland-1-dev
  - libpwquality-dev
+ - libsystemd-dev
  - libxkbregistry-dev
  - [distinst](https://github.com/pop-os/distinst/)
  - valac
diff --git a/session/autostart.desktop b/session/autostart.desktop
deleted file mode 100644
index e0a2aa613..000000000
--- a/session/autostart.desktop
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,10 +0,0 @@
-[Desktop Entry]
-Name=Installer
-Exec=io.elementary.installer
-Terminal=false
-Type=Application
-X-GNOME-Autostart-Notify=false
-X-GNOME-AutoRestart=true
-X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
-X-GNOME-Autostart-Phase=Applications
-OnlyShowIn=Installer;
diff --git a/session/compositor-autostart.desktop b/session/compositor-autostart.desktop
deleted file mode 100644
index a40eedaf2..000000000
--- a/session/compositor-autostart.desktop
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-[Desktop Entry]
-Type=Application
-Name=Greeter Compositor
-Exec=io.elementary.greeter-compositor
-NoDisplay=true
-X-GNOME-Autostart-Notify=false
-X-GNOME-AutoRestart=true
-X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
-X-GNOME-Autostart-Phase=WindowManager
-X-GNOME-Provides=windowmanager
-OnlyShowIn=Installer;
diff --git a/session/compositor@wayland.service.in b/session/compositor@wayland.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b505fb4f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/session/compositor@wayland.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Installer Compositor
+# On wayland, force a session shutdown
+OnFailure=gnome-session-shutdown.target
+OnFailureJobMode=replace-irreversibly
+CollectMode=inactive-or-failed
+RefuseManualStart=on
+RefuseManualStop=on
+
+After=gnome-session-manager.target
+
+Requisite=gnome-session-initialized.target
+PartOf=gnome-session-initialized.target
+Before=gnome-session-initialized.target
+
+#NOTE: ConditionEnvironment works with systemd >= 246
+ConditionEnvironment=XDG_SESSION_TYPE=%I
+
+[Service]
+Slice=session.slice
+Type=notify
+ExecStart=env GALA_SESSION_TYPE=installer XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP=Pantheon @bindir@/gala --wayland
+
+# unset some environment variables that were set by the compositor and won't work now that the compositor is gone
+ExecStopPost=-/bin/sh -c 'test "$SERVICE_RESULT" != "exec-condition" && systemctl --user unset-environment GNOME_SETUP_DISPLAY WAYLAND_DISPLAY DISPLAY XAUTHORITY && rm -f "$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/wayland-0" "$XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/wayland-0.lock"'
+
+# On wayland we cannot restart
+Restart=no
+# Kill any stubborn child processes after this long
+TimeoutStopSec=5
+
+# Lower down Gala's OOM score to avoid being killed by OOM-killer too early
+OOMScoreAdjust=-1000
diff --git a/session/installer.service.in b/session/installer.service.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..01729bc97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/session/installer.service.in
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Installer
+After=gnome-session-initialized.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=exec
+ExecStart=@bindir@/io.elementary.installer
+Restart=on-failure
+Slice=session.slice
diff --git a/session/installer.target b/session/installer.target
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b0a51ce88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/session/installer.target
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Installer
+DefaultDependencies=no
+
+Requisite=gnome-session-initialized.target
+PartOf=gnome-session-initialized.target
+Before=gnome-session-initialized.target
+
+Wants=io.elementary.installer.compositor@wayland.service io.elementary.installer.service
diff --git a/session/meson.build b/session/meson.build
index 41777168a..18da33d35 100644
--- a/session/meson.build
+++ b/session/meson.build
@@ -1,18 +1,6 @@
 autostartdir = get_option('sysconfdir') / 'xdg' / 'autostart'
 schemadir = get_option('datadir') / 'glib-2.0' / 'schemas'
 
-install_data(
-    'autostart.desktop',
-    install_dir: autostartdir,
-    rename: meson.project_name() + '.desktop'
-)
-
-install_data(
-    'compositor-autostart.desktop',
-    install_dir: autostartdir,
-    rename: meson.project_name() + '.compositor.desktop'
-)
-
 install_data(
     'installer.desktop',
     install_dir: get_option('datadir') / 'wayland-sessions'
@@ -33,3 +21,37 @@ install_subdir(
     install_dir: autostartdir,
     strip_directory: true
 )
+
+prefix = get_option('prefix')
+
+systemd_userunitdir = systemd_dep.get_pkgconfig_variable('systemduserunitdir')
+
+service_config = configuration_data()
+service_config.set('bindir', prefix / get_option('bindir'))
+
+configure_file(
+    input: 'compositor@wayland.service.in',
+    output: 'io.elementary.installer.compositor@wayland.service',
+    install: true,
+    install_dir: systemd_userunitdir,
+    configuration: service_config
+)
+
+install_data(
+    'installer.target',
+    rename: 'io.elementary.installer.target',
+    install_dir: systemd_userunitdir
+)
+
+configure_file(
+    input: 'installer.service.in',
+    output: 'io.elementary.installer.service',
+    configuration: service_config,
+    install: true,
+    install_dir: systemd_userunitdir
+)
+
+install_data(
+    'session.conf',
+    install_dir: systemd_userunitdir / 'gnome-session@installer.target.d',
+)
diff --git a/session/session.conf b/session/session.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3715b1d48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/session/session.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+[Unit]
+Wants=org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.MediaKeys.target
+Wants=org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Power.target
+Wants=org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.XSettings.target
+
+Requires=io.elementary.installer.target