diff --git a/scripts/run_client.py b/scripts/run_client.py
index 6894d3f..7cca348 100644
--- a/scripts/run_client.py
+++ b/scripts/run_client.py
@@ -334,7 +334,13 @@ def install_service_systemd(
     workspace_root: Optional[Path] = None,
 ) -> bool:
     try:
-        print(f"Installing systemd user service via {Path(__file__).resolve()}...")
+        helper_path = Path(__file__).resolve()
+        print(f"Installing systemd user service via {helper_path}...")
+        print("systemctl env:", {
+            "DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS": os.environ.get("DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS"),
+            "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR": os.environ.get("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR"),
+            "HOME": os.environ.get("HOME"),
+        })
         systemctl = shutil.which("systemctl")
         if not systemctl:
             print(
@@ -350,6 +356,23 @@ def install_service_systemd(
                 workspace_root=workspace_root
             )
 
+        if (
+            not os.environ.get("DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS")
+            or not os.environ.get("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR")
+        ):
+            print(
+                "DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS/XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not set; skipping systemd user install"
+            )
+            return install_service_cron(
+                service_name,
+                repo_root,
+                venv_py,
+                headless=headless,
+                detached=detached,
+                pull=pull,
+                workspace_root=workspace_root,
+            )
+
         unit_dir = Path.home() / ".config" / "systemd" / "user"
         unit_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
         unit_file = unit_dir / f"{service_name}.service"