diff --git a/src/teams_bot/cli.py b/src/teams_bot/cli.py
index 11b9e88..fdeba7e 100644
--- a/src/teams_bot/cli.py
+++ b/src/teams_bot/cli.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def teams_bot(ctx):
     "--password", type=str, default=None, help="the password of the email account"
 )
 @click.option(
-    "--dbdir", type=str, default="teams_bot_data", help="path to the bot's database"
+    "--dbdir", type=str, default="teams_bot_data", help="path to the bot's database", envvar="TEAMS_DBDIR"
 )
 @click.option(
     "-v", "--verbose", count=True, help="show low level delta chat ffi events"
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ def init(ctx, email: str, password: str, dbdir: str, verbose: int):
 
 @teams_bot.command()
 @click.option(
-    "--dbdir", type=str, default="teams_bot_data", help="path to the bot's database"
+    "--dbdir", type=str, default="teams_bot_data", help="path to the bot's database", envvar="TEAMS_DBDIR"
 )
 @click.option(
     "-v", "--verbose", count=True, help="show low level delta chat ffi events"
diff --git a/src/teams_bot/pyinfra.py b/src/teams_bot/pyinfra.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8c6fc09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/teams_bot/pyinfra.py
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+from io import StringIO
+import importlib.resources
+
+from pyinfra.operations import git, server, files, systemd
+
+
+def deploy_teams_bot(unix_user: str, bot_email: str, bot_passwd: str, dbdir: str = None):
+    """Deploy TeamsBot to a UNIX user, with specified credentials
+
+    :param unix_user: the existing UNIX user of the bot
+    :param bot_email: the email address for the bot account
+    :param bot_passwd: the password for the bot's email account
+    :param dbdir: the directory where the bot's data will be stored. default: ~/.config/teams-bot/email@example.org
+    """
+
+    clone_xdcget = git.repo(
+        name="Pull the teams-bot repository",
+        src="https://git.0x90.space/missytake/teams-bot",
+        dest=f"/home/{unix_user}/teams-bot",
+        _su_user=unix_user,
+        _use_su_login=True,
+    )
+
+    if clone_xdcget.changed:
+        server.script(
+            name="Setup virtual environment for teams-bot",
+            src=importlib.resources.files(__package__) / "pyinfra_assets" / "setup-venv.sh",
+            _su_user=unix_user,
+            _use_su_login=True,
+        )
+
+        server.shell(
+            name="Compile teams-bot",
+            commands=[
+                f". .local/lib/teams-bot.venv/bin/activate && cd /home/{unix_user}/teams-bot && pip install ."
+            ],
+            _su_user=unix_user,
+            _use_su_login=True,
+        )
+
+    if not dbdir:
+        dbdir = f"/home/{unix_user}/.config/teams_bot/{bot_email}/"
+    secrets = [
+        f"TEAMS_INIT_EMAIL={bot_email}",
+        f"TEAMS_INIT_PASSWORD={bot_passwd}",
+        f'TEAMS_DBDIR={dbdir}',
+    ]
+    env = "\n".join(secrets)
+    files.put(
+        name="upload secrets",
+        src=StringIO(env),
+        dest=f"/home/{unix_user}/.env",
+        mode="0600",
+        user=unix_user,
+    )
+
+    files.directory(
+        name="chown database directory",
+        path=dbdir,
+        mode="0700",
+        recursive=True,
+        user=unix_user,
+    )
+
+    files.template(
+        name="upload teams-bot systemd unit",
+        src=importlib.resources.files(__package__) / "pyinfra_assets" / "teams-bot.service.j2",
+        dest=f"/home/{unix_user}/.config/systemd/user/teams-bot.service",
+        user=unix_user,
+        unix_user=unix_user,
+        bot_email=bot_email,
+    )
+    systemd.daemon_reload(
+        name=f"{unix_user}: load teams-bot systemd service",
+        user_name=unix_user,
+        user_mode=True,
+        _su_user=unix_user,
+        _use_su_login=True,
+    )
+
+    server.shell(
+        name=f"enable {unix_user}'s systemd units to auto-start at boot",
+        commands=[f"loginctl enable-linger {unix_user}"],
+    )