diff --git a/scripts/autostart.sh b/scripts/autostart.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..44e33d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/autostart.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# BigBrother autostart -- Enable/disable auto-start on boot
+# Manages: bigbrother-core, bigbrother-capture, bigbrother-watchdog
+#
+# Usage: autostart.sh enable | disable | status
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# ── Colors ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+RED='\033[0;31m'
+GREEN='\033[0;32m'
+YELLOW='\033[1;33m'
+CYAN='\033[0;36m'
+BOLD='\033[1m'
+NC='\033[0m'
+
+info()  { echo -e "${GREEN}[+]${NC} $*"; }
+warn()  { echo -e "${YELLOW}[!]${NC} $*"; }
+error() { echo -e "${RED}[-]${NC} $*"; }
+step()  { echo -e "${CYAN}[*]${NC} ${BOLD}$*${NC}"; }
+
+die() { error "$*"; exit 1; }
+
+# ── Service list ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+SERVICES=(
+    bigbrother-core.service
+    bigbrother-capture.service
+    bigbrother-watchdog.service
+)
+
+# ── Root check ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+require_root() {
+    [[ $EUID -eq 0 ]] || die "Must be run as root (try: sudo $0 $*)"
+}
+
+# ── Usage ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+usage() {
+    echo "Usage: $0 <command>"
+    echo ""
+    echo "Commands:"
+    echo "  enable   -- Enable and start all BigBrother services at boot"
+    echo "  disable  -- Disable and stop all BigBrother services"
+    echo "  status   -- Show enabled/running state of all services"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+# ── Helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+svc_is_enabled() {
+    systemctl is-enabled "$1" 2>/dev/null | grep -q "^enabled$"
+}
+
+svc_is_active() {
+    systemctl is-active "$1" 2>/dev/null | grep -q "^active$"
+}
+
+print_service_status() {
+    local svc="$1"
+    local enabled_label active_label
+
+    if svc_is_enabled "$svc"; then
+        enabled_label="${GREEN}enabled${NC}"
+    else
+        enabled_label="${RED}disabled${NC}"
+    fi
+
+    if svc_is_active "$svc"; then
+        active_label="${GREEN}running${NC}"
+    else
+        active_label="${YELLOW}stopped${NC}"
+    fi
+
+    printf "  %-36s enabled=%-18b active=%b\n" \
+        "$svc" "$enabled_label" "$active_label"
+}
+
+# ── Commands ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+cmd_enable() {
+    require_root enable
+    step "Enabling BigBrother services for auto-start..."
+
+    for svc in "${SERVICES[@]}"; do
+        # Check the unit file exists before attempting to enable
+        if ! systemctl cat "$svc" &>/dev/null; then
+            warn "$svc unit file not found -- skipping (run setup.sh first?)"
+            continue
+        fi
+
+        info "Enabling $svc..."
+        systemctl enable "$svc" 2>&1 || warn "  enable failed for $svc"
+
+        info "Starting $svc..."
+        systemctl start "$svc" 2>&1 || warn "  start failed for $svc (check: journalctl -u $svc)"
+    done
+
+    echo ""
+    step "Post-enable status"
+    for svc in "${SERVICES[@]}"; do
+        print_service_status "$svc"
+    done
+
+    echo ""
+    info "BigBrother will start automatically on next boot"
+}
+
+cmd_disable() {
+    require_root disable
+    step "Disabling BigBrother services..."
+
+    for svc in "${SERVICES[@]}"; do
+        if ! systemctl cat "$svc" &>/dev/null; then
+            warn "$svc unit file not found -- skipping"
+            continue
+        fi
+
+        info "Stopping $svc..."
+        systemctl stop "$svc" 2>&1 || warn "  stop failed for $svc (may already be stopped)"
+
+        info "Disabling $svc..."
+        systemctl disable "$svc" 2>&1 || warn "  disable failed for $svc"
+    done
+
+    echo ""
+    step "Post-disable status"
+    for svc in "${SERVICES[@]}"; do
+        print_service_status "$svc"
+    done
+
+    echo ""
+    info "BigBrother will NOT start automatically on next boot"
+}
+
+cmd_status() {
+    step "BigBrother service status"
+    echo ""
+    for svc in "${SERVICES[@]}"; do
+        print_service_status "$svc"
+    done
+    echo ""
+
+    # Summary line
+    local enabled_count=0
+    local running_count=0
+    for svc in "${SERVICES[@]}"; do
+        svc_is_enabled "$svc" && ((enabled_count++)) || true
+        svc_is_active  "$svc" && ((running_count++)) || true
+    done
+
+    local total=${#SERVICES[@]}
+    if [[ $enabled_count -eq $total ]]; then
+        info "Auto-start: ${GREEN}ON${NC} (${enabled_count}/${total} enabled)"
+    elif [[ $enabled_count -eq 0 ]]; then
+        info "Auto-start: ${RED}OFF${NC} (${enabled_count}/${total} enabled)"
+    else
+        warn "Auto-start: partial (${enabled_count}/${total} enabled)"
+    fi
+
+    if [[ $running_count -eq $total ]]; then
+        info "Running:    ${GREEN}YES${NC} (${running_count}/${total} active)"
+    elif [[ $running_count -eq 0 ]]; then
+        info "Running:    ${RED}NO${NC}  (${running_count}/${total} active)"
+    else
+        warn "Running:    partial (${running_count}/${total} active)"
+    fi
+}
+
+# ── Main ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+[[ $# -ge 1 ]] || usage
+
+case "$1" in
+    enable)   cmd_enable  ;;
+    disable)  cmd_disable ;;
+    status)   cmd_status  ;;
+    -h|--help) usage ;;
+    *) error "Unknown command: $1"; usage ;;
+esac