diff --git a/roles/vmhost/files/ksm.service b/roles/vmhost/files/ksm.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aeb77c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/vmhost/files/ksm.service
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# vim: set ft=dosini :
+[Unit]
+Description=Kernel Same-Page Merging
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+RemainAfterExit=yes
+ExecStart=/bin/sh -c "echo 1 > /sys/kernel/mm/ksm/run"
+ExecStop=/bin/sh -c "echo 0 > /sys/kernel/mm/ksm/run"
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/roles/vmhost/tasks/main.yml b/roles/vmhost/tasks/main.yml
index 310c052..59e5af2 100644
--- a/roles/vmhost/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/vmhost/tasks/main.yml
@@ -69,3 +69,18 @@
     immediate=yes
     state=enabled
   notify: save firewalld configuration
+
+- name: ensure systemd ksm unit is installed
+  copy:
+    src=ksm.service
+    dest=/etc/systemd/system/ksm.service
+    mode=0644
+  notify: reload systemd
+- name: ensure systemd ksm unit starts at boot
+  service:
+    name=ksm
+    enabled=yes
+- name: ensure systemd ksm unit is running
+  service:
+    name=ksm
+    state=started