diff --git a/src/service/firstrun/mod.rs b/src/service/firstrun/mod.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..be237dd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/service/firstrun/mod.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+use std::sync::{
+	Arc, OnceLock,
+	atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering},
+};
+
+use async_trait::async_trait;
+use conduwuit::Result;
+use futures::StreamExt;
+
+use crate::{Dep, config, users};
+
+pub struct Service {
+	services: Services,
+	/// Represents the state of first run mode.
+	///
+	/// First run mode is either active or inactive at server start. It may
+	/// transition from active to inactive, but only once, and can never
+	/// transition the other way. Additionally, whether the server is in first
+	/// run mode or not can only be determined when all services are
+	/// constructed. The outer `OnceLock` represents the unknown state of first
+	/// run mode, and the inner `OnceLock` enforces the one-time transition from
+	/// active to inactive.
+	///
+	/// Consequently, this marker may be in one of three states:
+	/// 1. OnceLock<uninitialized>, representing the unknown state of first run
+	///    mode during server startup. Once server startup is complete, the
+	///    marker transitions to state 2 or directly to state 3.
+	/// 2. OnceLock<OnceLock<uninitialized>>, representing first run mode being
+	///    active. The marker may only transition to state 3 from here.
+	/// 3. OnceLock<OnceLock<()>>, representing first run mode being inactive.
+	///    The marker may not transition out of this state.
+	first_run_marker: OnceLock<OnceLock<()>>,
+}
+
+struct Services {
+	config: Dep<config::Service>,
+	users: Dep<users::Service>,
+}
+
+#[async_trait]
+impl crate::Service for Service {
+	fn build(args: crate::Args<'_>) -> Result<Arc<Self>> {
+		Ok(Arc::new(Self {
+			services: Services {
+				config: args.depend::<config::Service>("config"),
+				users: args.depend::<users::Service>("users"),
+			},
+			// marker starts in an indeterminate state
+			first_run_marker: OnceLock::new(),
+		}))
+	}
+
+	fn name(&self) -> &str { crate::service::make_name(std::module_path!()) }
+
+	async fn worker(self: Arc<Self>) -> Result {
+		// first run mode will be enabled if there are no local users
+		let is_first_run = self
+			.services
+			.users
+			.list_local_users()
+			.next()
+			.await
+			.is_none();
+
+		self.first_run_marker
+			.set(if is_first_run {
+				// first run mode is active (empty inner lock)
+				OnceLock::new()
+			} else {
+				// first run mode is inactive (already filled inner lock)
+				OnceLock::from(())
+			})
+			.expect("Service worker should only be called once");
+
+		Ok(())
+	}
+}
+
+impl Service {
+	/// Check if first run mode is active.
+	pub fn is_first_run(&self) -> bool {
+		self.first_run_marker
+			.get()
+			.expect("First run mode should not be checked during server startup")
+			.get()
+			.is_none()
+	}
+
+	/// Disable first run mode and begin normal operation.
+	pub fn disable_first_run(&self) {
+		self.first_run_marker
+			.get()
+			.expect("First run mode should not be disabled during server startup")
+			.set(())
+			.expect("First run mode should not be disabled more than once");
+	}
+
+	pub(crate) fn print_banner(&self) {
+		// This function is specially called by the core after all other
+		// services have started. It runs last to ensure that the banner it
+		// prints comes after any other logging which may occur on startup.
+
+		if !self.is_first_run() {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		println!("meow");
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/service/mod.rs b/src/service/mod.rs
index b0222c3e..b56c7354 100644
--- a/src/service/mod.rs
+++ b/src/service/mod.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ pub mod client;
 pub mod config;
 pub mod emergency;
 pub mod federation;
+pub mod firstrun;
 pub mod globals;
 pub mod key_backups;
 pub mod media;
diff --git a/src/service/services.rs b/src/service/services.rs
index 656be085..f6f077b1 100644
--- a/src/service/services.rs
+++ b/src/service/services.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use tokio::sync::Mutex;
 
 use crate::{
 	account_data, admin, announcements, antispam, appservice, client, config, emergency,
-	federation, globals, key_backups,
+	federation, firstrun, globals, key_backups,
 	manager::Manager,
 	media, moderation, presence, pusher, registration_tokens, resolver, rooms, sending,
 	server_keys,
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ pub struct Services {
 	pub resolver: Arc<resolver::Service>,
 	pub rooms: rooms::Service,
 	pub federation: Arc<federation::Service>,
+	pub firstrun: Arc<firstrun::Service>,
 	pub sending: Arc<sending::Service>,
 	pub server_keys: Arc<server_keys::Service>,
 	pub sync: Arc<sync::Service>,
@@ -67,6 +68,9 @@ impl Services {
 		}
 
 		Ok(Arc::new(Self {
+			// firstrun service should be built first so other services
+			// can check first-run state
+			firstrun: build!(firstrun::Service),
 			account_data: build!(account_data::Service),
 			admin: build!(admin::Service),
 			appservice: build!(appservice::Service),
@@ -144,6 +148,10 @@ impl Services {
 		}
 
 		debug_info!("Services startup complete.");
+
+		// print first-run banner if necessary
+		self.firstrun.print_banner();
+
 		Ok(Arc::clone(self))
 	}