diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/sol_rpc.yml b/ansible/group_vars/sol_rpc.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f590c15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/sol_rpc.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+solana_user: solana
+solana_group: solana
+solana_home: /var/lib/solana
+
+solana_validator_bin: /opt/solana/bin/agave-validator
+solana_rpc_service_name: solana-rpc
+
+solana_identity_path: /var/lib/solana/identity.json
+solana_ledger_dir: /var/lib/solana/ledger
+solana_accounts_dir: /var/lib/solana/accounts
+solana_log_dir: /var/log/solana
+
+solana_rpc_bind_address: 10.10.0.2
+solana_rpc_port: 8899
+solana_rpc_pubsub_port: 8900
+solana_dynamic_port_range: "8000-8020"
+
+solana_entrypoints:
+  - entrypoint.mainnet-beta.solana.com:8001
+solana_known_validators: []
+
+solana_geyser_enabled: false
+solana_geyser_plugin_config_path: /etc/solana/yellowstone-geyser.json
+
+solana_rpc_extra_args:
+  - --full-rpc-api
+  - --limit-ledger-size
+
+solana_rpc_manage_service: true
+solana_rpc_enable_on_boot: true
+solana_rpc_start_now: true
diff --git a/ansible/playbooks/doc-rpc-sol-min.yml b/ansible/playbooks/doc-rpc-sol-min.yml
index 140fbc2..8b21ee6 100644
--- a/ansible/playbooks/doc-rpc-sol-min.yml
+++ b/ansible/playbooks/doc-rpc-sol-min.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,32 @@
         update_cache: true
       when: ansible_facts.os_family == "Debian"
 
+    - name: Install Solana host base packages (Debian/Ubuntu)
+      ansible.builtin.apt:
+        name:
+          - chrony
+          - curl
+          - jq
+          - smartmontools
+          - nvme-cli
+          - prometheus-node-exporter
+        state: present
+        update_cache: true
+      when: ansible_facts.os_family == "Debian"
+
+    - name: Ensure solana group exists
+      ansible.builtin.group:
+        name: "{{ solana_group }}"
+        system: true
+
+    - name: Ensure solana user exists
+      ansible.builtin.user:
+        name: "{{ solana_user }}"
+        group: "{{ solana_group }}"
+        home: "{{ solana_home }}"
+        system: true
+        create_home: true
+
     - name: Ensure root config directories exist
       ansible.builtin.file:
         path: "{{ item }}"
@@ -29,6 +55,20 @@
         - /root/.config/nvim
         - /root/.config/nvim/lua
 
+    - name: Ensure Solana directories exist
+      ansible.builtin.file:
+        path: "{{ item.path }}"
+        state: directory
+        owner: "{{ item.owner }}"
+        group: "{{ item.group }}"
+        mode: "{{ item.mode }}"
+      loop:
+        - { path: "/etc/solana", owner: "root", group: "root", mode: "0755" }
+        - { path: "{{ solana_home }}", owner: "{{ solana_user }}", group: "{{ solana_group }}", mode: "0750" }
+        - { path: "{{ solana_ledger_dir }}", owner: "{{ solana_user }}", group: "{{ solana_group }}", mode: "0750" }
+        - { path: "{{ solana_accounts_dir }}", owner: "{{ solana_user }}", group: "{{ solana_group }}", mode: "0750" }
+        - { path: "{{ solana_log_dir }}", owner: "{{ solana_user }}", group: "{{ solana_group }}", mode: "0750" }
+
     - name: Deploy tmux config (Ctrl+a prefix)
       ansible.builtin.copy:
         src: ../files/operator-dotfiles/tmux.conf
@@ -64,6 +104,50 @@
         - { src: "lua/utils.lua", dest: "lua/utils.lua" }
         - { src: "lua/hazard3_dap.lua", dest: "lua/hazard3_dap.lua" }
 
+    - name: Deploy solana-rpc systemd unit (runs as solana user)
+      ansible.builtin.template:
+        src: ../templates/solana-rpc.service.j2
+        dest: /etc/systemd/system/{{ solana_rpc_service_name }}.service
+        owner: root
+        group: root
+        mode: "0644"
+      register: solana_rpc_unit
+
+    - name: Reload systemd after unit change
+      ansible.builtin.systemd:
+        daemon_reload: true
+      when: solana_rpc_unit.changed
+
+    - name: Check validator binary exists
+      ansible.builtin.stat:
+        path: "{{ solana_validator_bin }}"
+      register: solana_validator_bin_stat
+
+    - name: Check identity key exists
+      ansible.builtin.stat:
+        path: "{{ solana_identity_path }}"
+      register: solana_identity_stat
+
+    - name: Ensure solana-rpc service state when prerequisites exist
+      ansible.builtin.systemd:
+        name: "{{ solana_rpc_service_name }}"
+        enabled: "{{ solana_rpc_enable_on_boot | bool }}"
+        state: "{{ 'started' if (solana_rpc_start_now | bool) else 'stopped' }}"
+      when:
+        - solana_rpc_manage_service | bool
+        - solana_validator_bin_stat.stat.exists
+        - solana_identity_stat.stat.exists
+
+    - name: Report skipped solana-rpc start due to missing prerequisites
+      ansible.builtin.debug:
+        msg:
+          - "solana-rpc start skipped: missing prerequisites"
+          - "validator_bin={{ solana_validator_bin }} exists={{ solana_validator_bin_stat.stat.exists }}"
+          - "identity={{ solana_identity_path }} exists={{ solana_identity_stat.stat.exists }}"
+      when:
+        - solana_rpc_manage_service | bool
+        - not (solana_validator_bin_stat.stat.exists and solana_identity_stat.stat.exists)
+
     - name: Validate Ansible transport
       ansible.builtin.ping:
 
diff --git a/ansible/templates/solana-rpc.service.j2 b/ansible/templates/solana-rpc.service.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c771f71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/templates/solana-rpc.service.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Solana RPC node (Agave)
+After=network-online.target
+Wants=network-online.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+User={{ solana_user }}
+Group={{ solana_group }}
+WorkingDirectory={{ solana_home }}
+Environment=RUST_LOG=info
+LimitNOFILE=1048576
+Restart=always
+RestartSec=5
+TimeoutStopSec=120
+ExecStart={{ solana_validator_bin }} \
+  --identity {{ solana_identity_path }} \
+  --ledger {{ solana_ledger_dir }} \
+  --accounts {{ solana_accounts_dir }} \
+  --rpc-bind-address {{ solana_rpc_bind_address }} \
+  --rpc-port {{ solana_rpc_port }} \
+  --rpc-pubsub-port {{ solana_rpc_pubsub_port }} \
+  --dynamic-port-range {{ solana_dynamic_port_range }}{% for ep in solana_entrypoints %} \
+  --entrypoint {{ ep }}{% endfor %}{% for kv in solana_known_validators %} \
+  --known-validator {{ kv }}{% endfor %}{% if solana_geyser_enabled | bool %} \
+  --geyser-plugin-config {{ solana_geyser_plugin_config_path }}{% endif %}{% for arg in solana_rpc_extra_args %} \
+  {{ arg }}{% endfor %} \
+  --log {{ solana_log_dir }}/validator.log
+NoNewPrivileges=true
+PrivateTmp=true
+ProtectSystem=full
+ReadWritePaths={{ solana_ledger_dir }} {{ solana_accounts_dir }} {{ solana_log_dir }} /var/lib/solana
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/doc/etap-005-solana-rpc-user-svc.md b/doc/etap-005-solana-rpc-user-svc.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..36084d8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/etap-005-solana-rpc-user-svc.md
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+# Etap 005: Solana RPC jako usługa użytkownika `solana`
+
+Cel etapu: przygotować i wdrożyć baseline pod `solana-rpc`, uruchamiany jako dedykowany użytkownik systemowy `solana` (nie `root`).
+
+## Zakres
+
+1. Rozszerzyć playbook o:
+   - pakiety bazowe dla hosta RPC,
+   - utworzenie użytkownika i katalogów `solana`,
+   - deployment unitu `systemd` `solana-rpc.service` z `User=solana`.
+2. Dodać zmienne grupowe `sol_rpc` (ścieżki, porty, opcje startu).
+3. Dodać bezpieczną logikę startu:
+   - unit jest wdrażany zawsze,
+   - start usługi tylko gdy istnieją wymagane artefakty (`agave-validator`, identity keypair).
+4. Wdrożyć na `mevnode` i zweryfikować stan.
+
+## Kryteria akceptacji
+
+- `id solana` istnieje na `mevnode`.
+- `/etc/systemd/system/solana-rpc.service` istnieje i zawiera `User=solana`.
+- Playbook kończy się bez błędów.
+- Jeśli binarka/identity nie istnieją, playbook raportuje to jawnie i nie wymusza startu.