diff --git a/deploy/decnet-canary.service.j2 b/deploy/decnet-canary.service.j2
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..adb456a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deploy/decnet-canary.service.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=DECNET Canary Token Callback Receiver (HTTP + DNS)
+Documentation=https://git.resacachile.cl/anti/DECNET/wiki/Workers#canary
+After=network-online.target decnet-bus.service decnet-api.service
+Wants=network-online.target decnet-bus.service
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+User={{ user }}
+Group={{ group }}
+WorkingDirectory={{ install_dir }}
+EnvironmentFile=-{{ install_dir }}/.env.local
+Environment=DECNET_SYSTEM_LOGS=/var/log/decnet/decnet.canary.log
+ExecStart={{ venv_dir }}/bin/decnet canary
+StandardOutput=append:/var/log/decnet/decnet.canary.log
+StandardError=append:/var/log/decnet/decnet.canary.log
+
+# Bind low-numbered DNS port (53) and HTTP port (80/443) requires
+# CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE; the default DECNET_CANARY_HTTP_PORT (8088)
+# and DECNET_CANARY_DNS_PORT (5353) are unprivileged, so the
+# capability is granted only when an operator overrides those to
+# privileged values via .env.local.
+AmbientCapabilities=CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE
+CapabilityBoundingSet=CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE
+
+# Persist canary blobs (operator uploads) under /var/lib/decnet —
+# the same posture the rest of the workers use for runtime data.
+ReadWritePaths={{ install_dir }} /var/log/decnet /var/lib/decnet
+
+# Security Hardening
+NoNewPrivileges=yes
+ProtectSystem=full
+ProtectHome=read-only
+PrivateTmp=yes
+ProtectKernelTunables=yes
+ProtectKernelModules=yes
+ProtectControlGroups=yes
+RestrictSUIDSGID=yes
+LockPersonality=yes
+
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=5
+TimeoutStopSec=15
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/deploy/decnet.target b/deploy/decnet.target
index f7b27816..399a36ba 100644
--- a/deploy/decnet.target
+++ b/deploy/decnet.target
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Wants=decnet-bus.service \
       decnet-clusterer.service \
       decnet-campaign-clusterer.service \
       decnet-webhook.service \
+      decnet-canary.service \
       decnet-orchestrator.service \
       decnet-emailgen.service
 After=decnet-bus.service
diff --git a/tests/canary/test_systemd_unit.py b/tests/canary/test_systemd_unit.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..153aa607
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/canary/test_systemd_unit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+"""Sanity check on the decnet-canary.service unit + decnet.target.
+
+Tests are deliberately static (no rendering, no systemd) — they just
+confirm the unit file exists, references the canary CLI command, is
+included in the master target, and follows the same security
+hardening posture as decnet-webhook.service.
+"""
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from pathlib import Path
+
+DEPLOY = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2] / "deploy"
+
+
+def test_canary_unit_exists() -> None:
+    assert (DEPLOY / "decnet-canary.service.j2").exists()
+
+
+def test_canary_unit_runs_decnet_canary() -> None:
+    body = (DEPLOY / "decnet-canary.service.j2").read_text()
+    assert "{{ venv_dir }}/bin/decnet canary" in body
+    assert "After=" in body and "decnet-bus.service" in body
+
+
+def test_canary_unit_has_security_hardening() -> None:
+    """Canary handles attacker traffic — must mirror webhook's hardening."""
+    body = (DEPLOY / "decnet-canary.service.j2").read_text()
+    for required in (
+        "NoNewPrivileges=yes",
+        "ProtectSystem=full",
+        "ProtectHome=read-only",
+        "PrivateTmp=yes",
+        "ProtectKernelTunables=yes",
+        "ProtectKernelModules=yes",
+        "ProtectControlGroups=yes",
+        "RestrictSUIDSGID=yes",
+        "LockPersonality=yes",
+    ):
+        assert required in body, f"missing hardening directive: {required}"
+
+
+def test_canary_listed_in_master_target() -> None:
+    body = (DEPLOY / "decnet.target").read_text()
+    assert "decnet-canary.service" in body