diff --git a/changelog.d/17084.doc b/changelog.d/17084.doc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8b97c8109
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/17084.doc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add RuntimeDirectory to example matrix-synapse.service systemd unit.
diff --git a/docs/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse.service b/docs/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse.service
index 0c73fb55f..31ceccb77 100644
--- a/docs/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse.service
+++ b/docs/systemd-with-workers/system/matrix-synapse.service
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ ReloadPropagatedFrom=matrix-synapse.target
 Type=notify
 NotifyAccess=main
 User=matrix-synapse
+RuntimeDirectory=synapse
 WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/matrix-synapse
 EnvironmentFile=-/etc/default/matrix-synapse
 ExecStartPre=/opt/venvs/matrix-synapse/bin/python -m synapse.app.homeserver --config-path=/etc/matrix-synapse/homeserver.yaml --config-path=/etc/matrix-synapse/conf.d/ --generate-keys