diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-api.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-api.yml
index 6f29878..80a9365 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deploy-api.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deploy-api.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ on:
       - 'DeepDrftContent/**'
       - 'DeepDrftModels/**'
       - '.gitea/workflows/deploy-api.yml'
-      - 'deploy/systemd/deepdrftapi.service'
 
 jobs:
   build:
@@ -110,7 +109,6 @@ jobs:
           rsync -e "ssh -i ~/.ssh/deepdrft_ed25519 -o StrictHostKeyChecking=yes" \
             staging/deepdrft-api.tar.gz \
             staging/deepdrft-migrations-bundle \
-            deploy/systemd/deepdrftapi.service \
             deepdrft@$DEPLOY_HOST:
 
       - name: Trigger deploy on host
diff --git a/deploy/deploy-api.sh b/deploy/deploy-api.sh
index 31e52d7..2acdb87 100644
--- a/deploy/deploy-api.sh
+++ b/deploy/deploy-api.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 # Expects in ${APP_HOME}/staging/:
 #   deepdrft-api.tar.gz          -- published self-contained linux-x64 binary tree
 #   deepdrft-migrations-bundle   -- self-contained EF bundle (pre-built in CI)
-#   deepdrftapi.service          -- systemd unit file (optional)
 #
 # Migrations are applied BEFORE the service restarts via the EF bundle binary.
 # The bundle covers DeepDrftContext (track metadata DB) only.
@@ -94,15 +93,6 @@ if [[ -d "${APPROOT}/environment" ]]; then
   fi
 fi
 
-# ── Install systemd unit file (if present in staging) ─────────────────────
-if [[ -f "${STAGING}/deepdrftapi.service" ]]; then
-  mkdir -p "${APP_HOME}/.config/systemd/user"
-  cp "${STAGING}/deepdrftapi.service" "${APP_HOME}/.config/systemd/user/deepdrftapi.service"
-  rm -f "${STAGING}/deepdrftapi.service"
-  systemctl --user daemon-reload
-  echo "[deploy-api] systemd unit file installed"
-fi
-
 # ── Enable and restart service ─────────────────────────────────────────────
 systemctl --user enable deepdrftapi.service
 systemctl --user restart deepdrftapi.service