diff --git a/checks/systemd.nix b/checks/systemd.nix
index f42b193..9fc04da 100644
--- a/checks/systemd.nix
+++ b/checks/systemd.nix
@@ -279,10 +279,10 @@ let
     }
   );
 
-  readUserService = drv: name: builtins.readFile "${drv}/systemd/user/${name}.service";
-  readSystemService = drv: name: builtins.readFile "${drv}/systemd/system/${name}.service";
-  readUserTimer = drv: name: builtins.readFile "${drv}/systemd/user/${name}.timer";
-  readSystemTimer = drv: name: builtins.readFile "${drv}/systemd/system/${name}.timer";
+  readUserService = drv: name: builtins.readFile "${drv}/lib/systemd/user/${name}.service";
+  readSystemService = drv: name: builtins.readFile "${drv}/lib/systemd/system/${name}.service";
+  readUserTimer = drv: name: builtins.readFile "${drv}/lib/systemd/user/${name}.timer";
+  readSystemTimer = drv: name: builtins.readFile "${drv}/lib/systemd/system/${name}.timer";
 in
 pkgs.runCommand "systemd-test" { } ''
   echo "Testing systemd module..."
@@ -314,14 +314,14 @@ pkgs.runCommand "systemd-test" { } ''
 
   # Test 3: Service name from binName
   echo "Test 3: Service name from binName"
-  test -f "${customBinName.outputs.systemd-user}/systemd/user/my-hello.service" || {
+  test -f "${customBinName.outputs.systemd-user}/lib/systemd/user/my-hello.service" || {
     echo "FAIL: user service file should be named my-hello.service"
-    ls -la "${customBinName.outputs.systemd-user}/systemd/user/"
+    ls -la "${customBinName.outputs.systemd-user}/lib/systemd/user/"
     exit 1
   }
-  test -f "${customBinName.outputs.systemd-system}/systemd/system/my-hello.service" || {
+  test -f "${customBinName.outputs.systemd-system}/lib/systemd/system/my-hello.service" || {
     echo "FAIL: system service file should be named my-hello.service"
-    ls -la "${customBinName.outputs.systemd-system}/systemd/system/"
+    ls -la "${customBinName.outputs.systemd-system}/lib/systemd/system/"
     exit 1
   }
   echo "PASS: service name from binName"
diff --git a/lib/modules/systemd.nix b/lib/modules/systemd.nix
index 1993ca9..2bd4a63 100644
--- a/lib/modules/systemd.nix
+++ b/lib/modules/systemd.nix
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ let
   mkOutput =
     type:
     let
-      unitDir = if type == "user" then "systemd/user" else "systemd/system";
+      unitDir = if type == "user" then "lib/systemd/user" else "lib/systemd/system";
 
       serviceFile = pkgs.writeTextDir "${unitDir}/${serviceName}.service" (systemdLib.serviceToUnit svc)
       .text;
diff --git a/modules/niri/module.nix b/modules/niri/module.nix
index c7f7ce9..0f47b9b 100644
--- a/modules/niri/module.nix
+++ b/modules/niri/module.nix
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ let
 in
 {
   _class = "wrapper";
+  imports = [ wlib.modules.systemd ];
   options = {
     settings = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.submodule {
@@ -304,13 +305,55 @@ in
         '';
       };
   };
+  # Drop the upstream user unit; we ship our own (below) with ExecReload
+  # wired up to the niri IPC. Keep the desktop entry patched so display
+  # managers still pick up the wrapper's binary.
+  config.filesToExclude = [
+    "lib/systemd/user/niri.service"
+    "share/systemd/user/niri.service"
+  ];
   config.filesToPatch = [
     "share/applications/*.desktop"
-    "share/systemd/user/niri.service"
   ];
   config.package = config.pkgs.niri;
-  config.env = {
-    NIRI_CONFIG = toString config."config.kdl".path;
+
+  # Shell-launched wrapper: same behaviour as upstream -- niri reads the
+  # immutable, build-pinned config straight from /nix/store.
+  config.env.NIRI_CONFIG = toString config."config.kdl".path;
+
+  # Systemd-launched session: bootstrap a mutable runtime copy under
+  # $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR (systemd specifier %t) and point niri at it via
+  # `--config`. ExecReload re-stamps that file with the latest immutable
+  # snapshot and asks niri to re-read it via IPC, so config-only switches
+  # apply without dropping the session.
+  config.systemd = {
+    description = "A scrollable-tiling Wayland compositor";
+    bindsTo = [ "graphical-session.target" ];
+    before = [
+      "graphical-session.target"
+      "xdg-desktop-autostart.target"
+    ];
+    wants = [
+      "graphical-session-pre.target"
+      "xdg-desktop-autostart.target"
+    ];
+    after = [ "graphical-session-pre.target" ];
+    serviceConfig = {
+      Slice = "session.slice";
+      Type = "notify";
+      ExecStartPre = "${config.pkgs.coreutils}/bin/install -Dm644 ${config."config.kdl".path} %t/niri/config.kdl";
+      ExecStart = "${config.exePath} --session --config %t/niri/config.kdl";
+      ExecReload = [
+        "${config.pkgs.coreutils}/bin/install -Dm644 ${config."config.kdl".path} %t/niri/config.kdl"
+        "${config.exePath} msg action load-config-file"
+      ];
+    };
+    # Tell NixOS's switch-to-configuration to convert every "needs
+    # restart" verdict into `systemctl --user reload niri.service`, so
+    # config-only switches reload the live session via ExecReload instead
+    # of killing it. The flag is read out of the unit's [Service] section
+    # at switch time (X-ReloadIfChanged=true).
+    reloadIfChanged = true;
   };
   config.meta.maintainers = [
     lib.maintainers.zimward