diff --git a/ops/evo-deploy/README.md b/ops/evo-deploy/README.md
index 82e1d6a..61907e8 100644
--- a/ops/evo-deploy/README.md
+++ b/ops/evo-deploy/README.md
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ No SSH keys or deploy secrets are stored in this repo. The workflow runs **on**
    - `EVO_DEPLOY_ENABLED` = `true`
    - Optional: `EVO_DEPLOY_DIR` (default `$HOME/Projects/evOo-local` of the runner user)
    - Optional: `EVO_RESTART_MODE` (`auto`, `systemd`, `tmux`, `compose`, `script`, `none`)
-   - Optional: `EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT`, `EVO_TMUX_SESSION`, health URLs, timeouts
+   - **Evo (recommended):** pin `EVO_RESTART_MODE=systemd`, `EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT=evoo-local.service`, and `EVO_SYSTEMD_SCOPE=user` as repo variables (or the same values in the runner host env). Auto-detect prefers systemd when that unit is active or enabled, but pinning avoids ambiguity if `infra/compose/docker-compose.yml` is present and Compose env vars are not configured for production-like deploys.
+   - Optional: `EVO_TMUX_SESSION`, health URLs, timeouts
 3. Confirm the runner user can read/write `EVO_DEPLOY_DIR` and restart services (`systemctl --user` or tmux).
 
 Until `EVO_DEPLOY_ENABLED` is `true`, pushes to `main` do not deploy (workflow job is skipped).
@@ -161,8 +162,9 @@ Do not commit host passwords, tokens, or SSH private keys. Configure restart tar
 | `EVO_DEPLOY_DIR` | `$HOME/Projects/evOo-local` | Git checkout root |
 | `EVO_DEPLOY_REF` | `main` | Branch name or commit SHA |
 | `EVO_RESTART_MODE` | `auto` | `systemd` / `tmux` / `compose` / `script` / `none` |
-| `EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT` | _(empty)_ | Required for `systemd` mode |
-| `EVO_SYSTEMD_SCOPE` | `user` | `user` or `system` |
+| `EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT` | _(empty)_ | Required for explicit `systemd` mode; auto-detect sets this when a unit is found |
+| `EVO_SYSTEMD_SCOPE` | `user` | `user` or `system` (auto-detect picks the scope where the unit is active/enabled) |
+| `EVO_SYSTEMD_AUTO_UNIT` | `evoo-local.service` | Unit name probed when `EVO_RESTART_MODE=auto` and `EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT` is unset |
 | `EVO_TMUX_SESSION` | `evoo` | tmux session name |
 | `EVO_TMUX_COMMAND` | `pnpm dev` | Command started in new tmux session |
 | `EVO_MIGRATE` | `true` | Run `pnpm db:generate` + `pnpm db:migrate` (`--skip-migrate`) |
@@ -178,4 +180,12 @@ Do not commit host passwords, tokens, or SSH private keys. Configure restart tar
 |----------|---------|---------|
 | `EVO_WEB_MODE` | `dev` | `dev` (Vite dev server) or `preview` (production build) |
 
-If `EVO_RESTART_MODE=auto` cannot detect systemd, tmux, compose, or a restart script, it falls back to `none` and only health-checks — set `EVO_RESTART_MODE` and the matching unit/session explicitly.
+When `EVO_RESTART_MODE=auto`, detection order is:
+
+1. **systemd** — `EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT` is set, or `EVO_SYSTEMD_AUTO_UNIT` (default `evoo-local.service`) is active, enabled, or loaded under `systemctl --user` then `systemctl` (system scope).
+2. **script** — `EVO_RESTART_SCRIPT` exists and is executable.
+3. **tmux** — session `EVO_TMUX_SESSION` exists.
+4. **compose** — `EVO_COMPOSE_FILE` exists under the checkout.
+5. **none** — skip restart; health-check only.
+
+If auto mode picks the wrong path (for example Compose on Evo because the compose file exists but the stack runs under systemd), pin `EVO_RESTART_MODE=systemd` and `EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT=evoo-local.service` in repo variables or host env.
diff --git a/ops/evo-deploy/deploy.sh b/ops/evo-deploy/deploy.sh
index 59bc9e5..054261c 100755
--- a/ops/evo-deploy/deploy.sh
+++ b/ops/evo-deploy/deploy.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ EVO_GIT_REMOTE="${EVO_GIT_REMOTE:-origin}"
 EVO_RESTART_MODE="${EVO_RESTART_MODE:-auto}" # auto | systemd | tmux | compose | script | none
 EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT="${EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT:-}"
 EVO_SYSTEMD_SCOPE="${EVO_SYSTEMD_SCOPE:-user}" # user | system
+EVO_SYSTEMD_AUTO_UNIT="${EVO_SYSTEMD_AUTO_UNIT:-evoo-local.service}"
 EVO_TMUX_SESSION="${EVO_TMUX_SESSION:-evoo}"
 EVO_TMUX_COMMAND="${EVO_TMUX_COMMAND:-pnpm dev}"
 EVO_COMPOSE_FILE="${EVO_COMPOSE_FILE:-infra/compose/docker-compose.yml}"
@@ -105,6 +106,45 @@ validate_deploy_dir() {
   [[ -d "$EVO_DEPLOY_DIR/.git" ]] || die "EVO_DEPLOY_DIR is not a git checkout: $EVO_DEPLOY_DIR"
 }
 
+systemd_unit_usable() {
+  local unit="$1"
+  local scope="$2"
+  command -v systemctl >/dev/null 2>&1 || return 1
+  local -a ctl=(systemctl)
+  if [[ "$scope" == "user" ]]; then
+    ctl=(systemctl --user)
+  fi
+  if "${ctl[@]}" is-active --quiet "$unit" 2>/dev/null; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+  if "${ctl[@]}" is-enabled --quiet "$unit" 2>/dev/null; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+  local load_state
+  load_state="$("${ctl[@]}" show -p LoadState --value "$unit" 2>/dev/null || true)"
+  [[ "$load_state" == "loaded" ]]
+}
+
+# When EVO_RESTART_MODE=auto and EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT is unset, pick a unit that is active or installed.
+auto_detect_systemd() {
+  local unit="${EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT:-$EVO_SYSTEMD_AUTO_UNIT}"
+  local scope
+  for scope in user system; do
+    if systemd_unit_usable "$unit" "$scope"; then
+      EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT="$unit"
+      EVO_SYSTEMD_SCOPE="$scope"
+      return 0
+    fi
+  done
+  return 1
+}
+
+# Side effects must run outside $(resolve_restart_mode) — command substitution uses a subshell.
+prepare_auto_restart_mode() {
+  [[ "$EVO_RESTART_MODE" == "auto" && -z "$EVO_SYSTEMD_UNIT" ]] || return 0
+  auto_detect_systemd || true
+}
+
 resolve_restart_mode() {
   if [[ "$EVO_RESTART_MODE" != "auto" ]]; then
     printf '%s\n' "$EVO_RESTART_MODE"
@@ -173,6 +213,7 @@ restart_script() {
 }
 
 restart_services() {
+  prepare_auto_restart_mode
   local mode
   mode="$(resolve_restart_mode)"
   case "$mode" in
@@ -349,6 +390,7 @@ main() {
   parse_args "$@"
   validate_deploy_dir
 
+  prepare_auto_restart_mode
   local resolved_mode
   resolved_mode="$(resolve_restart_mode)"
   log "deploy dir: $EVO_DEPLOY_DIR"
diff --git a/packages/testkit/src/evo-deploy.test.ts b/packages/testkit/src/evo-deploy.test.ts
index 9199d7a..fb5982f 100644
--- a/packages/testkit/src/evo-deploy.test.ts
+++ b/packages/testkit/src/evo-deploy.test.ts
@@ -235,6 +235,58 @@ describe("evo deploy", () => {
     expect(f.served()).toBe("built A");
     expect(existsSync(path.join(f.checkout, ".evo-deploy/state.json"))).toBe(false);
   });
+
+  it("auto mode prefers systemd over compose when the default unit is active", () => {
+    const root = temporaryRoot("evo-deploy-autodetect-");
+    const checkout = path.join(root, "checkout");
+    const bin = path.join(root, "bin");
+    const home = path.join(root, "home");
+    const env = {
+      HOME: home,
+      PATH: searchPath(bin),
+      GIT_AUTHOR_NAME: "Test",
+      GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL: "test@example.com",
+      GIT_COMMITTER_NAME: "Test",
+      GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL: "test@example.com",
+      GIT_CONFIG_NOSYSTEM: "1",
+    };
+    write(
+      path.join(bin, "systemctl"),
+      `#!/bin/bash
+case "$*" in
+  "--user is-active --quiet evoo-local.service") exit 0 ;;
+  "--user is-enabled --quiet evoo-local.service") exit 1 ;;
+  "--user show -p LoadState --value evoo-local.service") echo loaded; exit 0 ;;
+esac
+exit 1
+`,
+      0o755,
+    );
+    write(path.join(home, ".bash_profile"), `export PATH="${bin}:$PATH"\n`);
+    mkdirSync(checkout, { recursive: true });
+    execFileSync("git", ["init", "-q", "-b", "main"], { cwd: checkout, env });
+    write(path.join(checkout, "package.json"), "{}");
+    execFileSync("git", ["add", "-A"], { cwd: checkout, env });
+    execFileSync("git", ["commit", "-q", "-m", "init"], { cwd: checkout, env });
+    execFileSync("git", ["remote", "add", "origin", checkout], { cwd: checkout, env });
+    write(path.join(checkout, "infra/compose/docker-compose.yml"), "services: {}\n");
+
+    const result = spawnSync("/bin/bash", [deployScript, "--dry-run"], {
+      env: {
+        ...env,
+        EVO_DEPLOY_DIR: checkout,
+        EVO_RESTART_MODE: "auto",
+        EVO_HEALTH_TIMEOUT_SEC: "1",
+      },
+      encoding: "utf8",
+      timeout: 30_000,
+    });
+
+    expect(result.error).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(result.status, result.stderr).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.stderr).toContain("restart mode: systemd");
+    expect(result.stderr).not.toContain("restart mode: compose");
+  });
 });
 
 /** A checkout layout around a copy of start-stack.sh, with the real tsx and vite installs. */