diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b449142d8..7db185a2d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ Works with **any CLI agent** — if it runs in a terminal, it runs in Orca.
 
 - **[Download from onOrca.dev](https://onorca.dev/download)**
 - Or grab a build directly: [macOS Apple Silicon](https://github.com/stablyai/orca/releases/latest/download/orca-macos-arm64.dmg) · [macOS Intel](https://github.com/stablyai/orca/releases/latest/download/orca-macos-x64.dmg) · [Windows (.exe)](https://github.com/stablyai/orca/releases/latest/download/orca-windows-setup.exe) · [Linux AppImage](https://github.com/stablyai/orca/releases/latest/download/orca-linux.AppImage) · [All builds](https://github.com/stablyai/orca/releases/latest)
+- Running `orca serve` on a headless Linux server? See the [headless Linux server guide](docs/reference/headless-linux-server.md).
 
 _Or via a package manager:_
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/README.md b/docs/reference/README.md
index 01261abed..1ced066c5 100644
--- a/docs/reference/README.md
+++ b/docs/reference/README.md
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Keep this folder for versioned reference docs that are meant to survive past a s
 - Public-facing docs that are not part of the root README.
 - Docs that other checked-in files link to.
 - Telemetry availability notes that dashboard authors need after the original design or implementation branch is gone. See [Telemetry Availability](./telemetry-availability.md).
+- Headless Linux server setup for remote `orca serve` hosts. See [Headless Linux Server](./headless-linux-server.md).
 - Feature education state, interaction tracking, and retention analytics notes that define how contextual tours are persisted and measured. See [Feature Education State](./feature-education-state.md), [Feature Discovery Interaction Tracking](./feature-discovery-interaction-tracking.md), and [Feature Education Retention Analytics](./feature-education-retention-analytics.md).
 - New-user parallel work telemetry notes that define how the parallel-work tour and setup guide should be measured against retention. See [New User Parallel Work Telemetry](./new-user-parallel-work-telemetry.md).
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/headless-linux-server.md b/docs/reference/headless-linux-server.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e6267e84f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/reference/headless-linux-server.md
@@ -0,0 +1,183 @@
+# Headless Linux Server
+
+Use this guide when you want to run `orca serve` on a Linux machine without a
+desktop session, such as an Ubuntu VPS or a remote build box.
+
+`orca serve` starts the Orca runtime without opening the desktop window. On
+Linux, the packaged AppImage still needs the libraries that Electron expects at
+startup. Current Orca builds can start Xvfb automatically for `orca serve` when
+no `DISPLAY` is set, but Xvfb must be installed first. When `DISPLAY` is set,
+Orca uses that display instead of starting a competing Xvfb process.
+
+## Ubuntu 22.04 Prerequisites
+
+Install the AppImage runtime dependency and Xvfb:
+
+```bash
+sudo apt-get update
+sudo apt-get install -y curl libfuse2 xvfb
+```
+
+Download and make the AppImage executable:
+
+```bash
+sudo mkdir -p /opt/orca
+sudo curl -L https://github.com/stablyai/orca/releases/latest/download/orca-linux.AppImage \
+  -o /opt/orca/orca-linux.AppImage
+sudo chmod +x /opt/orca/orca-linux.AppImage
+```
+
+If `Xvfb` was installed somewhere other than `/usr/bin`, confirm systemd can
+find it later:
+
+```bash
+command -v Xvfb
+```
+
+## Run In The Foreground
+
+Start with a foreground run before creating a service:
+
+```bash
+LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1 /opt/orca/orca-linux.AppImage serve --port 6768
+```
+
+For remote clients, pass the address they should use to reach this server. A
+Tailscale address is usually the safest option for private servers:
+
+```bash
+LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1 /opt/orca/orca-linux.AppImage serve \
+  --port 6768 \
+  --pairing-address 100.64.1.20
+```
+
+The command prints the runtime endpoint and pairing URL. Stop it with `Ctrl+C`.
+
+## Systemd Service
+
+Create a dedicated service user and install directory. Run the service as this
+user instead of root so the AppImage can keep Chromium's sandbox enabled.
+
+```bash
+sudo useradd --system --create-home --shell /usr/sbin/nologin orca
+sudo chown -R orca:orca /opt/orca
+```
+
+For most hosts, one `orca serve` service is enough because Orca starts Xvfb on
+display `:99` when no display exists:
+
+```ini
+# /etc/systemd/system/orca-serve.service
+[Unit]
+Description=Orca runtime server
+After=network-online.target
+Wants=network-online.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+User=orca
+WorkingDirectory=/home/orca
+Environment=LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1
+ExecStart=/opt/orca/orca-linux.AppImage serve --port 6768 --pairing-address 100.64.1.20
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=5
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
+```
+
+Replace `100.64.1.20` with the LAN, Tailscale, tunnel, or public hostname that
+clients should use.
+
+Enable the service:
+
+```bash
+sudo systemctl daemon-reload
+sudo systemctl enable --now orca-serve.service
+sudo journalctl -u orca-serve.service -f
+```
+
+## Managed Xvfb Service
+
+If you prefer to own the virtual display lifecycle in systemd, run Xvfb as a
+separate service and set `DISPLAY=:99` for Orca.
+
+```ini
+# /etc/systemd/system/orca-xvfb.service
+[Unit]
+Description=Virtual X display for Orca
+After=network-online.target
+Wants=network-online.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/Xvfb :99 -screen 0 1280x1024x24 -nolisten tcp
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=5
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
+```
+
+If `command -v Xvfb` returned a different path, update `ExecStart` to that
+absolute path.
+
+Then add the display dependency to the Orca service:
+
+```ini
+# /etc/systemd/system/orca-serve.service
+[Unit]
+Description=Orca runtime server
+After=network-online.target orca-xvfb.service
+Wants=network-online.target orca-xvfb.service
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+User=orca
+WorkingDirectory=/home/orca
+Environment=DISPLAY=:99
+Environment=LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1
+ExecStart=/opt/orca/orca-linux.AppImage serve --port 6768 --pairing-address 100.64.1.20
+Restart=on-failure
+RestartSec=5
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
+```
+
+Enable both units:
+
+```bash
+sudo systemctl daemon-reload
+sudo systemctl enable --now orca-xvfb.service orca-serve.service
+```
+
+## CLI Install Note
+
+On a headless host, you do not need to open the desktop UI just to run the
+server. Invoke the AppImage directly:
+
+```bash
+/opt/orca/orca-linux.AppImage serve --help
+```
+
+If you later install the desktop CLI from Orca settings, use that CLI for normal
+shell workflows. Keep the AppImage path in systemd so service restarts do not
+depend on an interactive shell profile.
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+- `dlopen(): error loading libfuse.so.2`: install `libfuse2`.
+- `Missing X server or $DISPLAY`: install `xvfb`, or start the managed Xvfb
+  service and set `DISPLAY=:99`.
+- `Xvfb not found`: confirm `command -v Xvfb` and use that absolute path in the
+  systemd unit.
+- GPU or DRI warnings on a VPS: keep `LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1` in the service
+  environment.
+- Chromium sandbox errors: confirm the service is running as the non-root
+  `orca` user and that `/opt/orca` is readable by that user.
+- Clients cannot connect: make sure `--pairing-address` is an address reachable
+  from the client, and make sure firewalls allow the selected `--port`.
+- Diagnosing other missing libraries: extract the AppImage without launching it
+  with `./orca-linux.AppImage --appimage-extract`, then run
+  `ldd squashfs-root/orca` to list any shared libraries the host is missing.