diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 10039533..89d3661e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,11 +16,15 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - `rad issue` now uses `clap` to parse its command-line arguments.
    This affects error reporting as well as help output.
 - `radicle-node` now supports systemd Credentials (refer to
-  <https://systemd.io/CREDENTIALS> for more information) to load
-  the secret key, in addition to the commandline argument
-  `--secret` (higher priority than the credential) and the
-  configuration file (lower priority than the credential).
-  The identifier of the credential is "xyz.radicle.node.secret".
+  <https://systemd.io/CREDENTIALS> for more information) to load:
+    1. The secret key, in addition to the commandline argument
+       `--secret` (higher priority than the credential) and the
+       configuration file (lower priority than the credential).
+       The identifier of the credential is "xyz.radicle.node.secret".
+    2. The optional passphrase for the secret key, in addition to the
+       environment variable `RAD_PASSPHRASE` (lower priority than the
+       credential).
+       The identifier of the credential is "xyz.radicle.node.passphrase".
 
 ## Fixed Bugs
 
diff --git a/crates/radicle-node/src/main.rs b/crates/radicle-node/src/main.rs
index fac2fed5..9fcd4cc8 100644
--- a/crates/radicle-node/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/radicle-node/src/main.rs
@@ -235,7 +235,28 @@ fn execute(options: Options) -> Result<(), ExecutionError> {
     log::info!(target: "node", "Version {} ({})", env!("RADICLE_VERSION"), env!("GIT_HEAD"));
     log::info!(target: "node", "Unlocking node keystore..");
 
-    let passphrase = profile::env::passphrase();
+    let passphrase = None;
+
+    #[cfg(all(feature = "systemd", target_os = "linux"))]
+    let passphrase = passphrase.or_else(|| {
+        const ID: &str = "xyz.radicle.node.passphrase";
+        match radicle_systemd::credential::path(ID) {
+            Err(err) => {
+                log::warn!(target: "node", "Failed to obtain path of the passphrase file via systemd credential with '{ID}': {err}");
+                None
+            },
+            Ok(Some(ref path)) => match std::fs::read_to_string(path) {
+                Ok(passphrase) => Some(passphrase.into()),
+                Err(err) => {
+                    log::warn!(target: "node", "Failed to read passphrase from '{}': {err}", path.display());
+                    None
+                }
+            }
+            Ok(None) => None,
+        }
+    });
+
+    let passphrase = passphrase.or_else(profile::env::passphrase);
 
     let secret_path = options.secret;