diff --git a/changelog.d/19491.misc b/changelog.d/19491.misc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..62b0ddddc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/19491.misc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Remove the optional `systemd-python` dependency and the `systemd` extra on the `synapse` package.
diff --git a/contrib/systemd/README.md b/contrib/systemd/README.md
index d12d8ec37b..456b4e9a16 100644
--- a/contrib/systemd/README.md
+++ b/contrib/systemd/README.md
@@ -16,3 +16,9 @@ appropriate locations of your installation.
 5. Start Synapse: `sudo systemctl start matrix-synapse`
 6. Verify Synapse is running: `sudo systemctl status matrix-synapse`
 7. *optional* Enable Synapse to start at system boot: `sudo systemctl enable matrix-synapse`
+
+## Logging
+
+If you use `contrib/systemd/log_config.yaml`, install `systemd-python` in the
+same Python environment as Synapse. The config uses
+`systemd.journal.JournalHandler`, which requires that package.
diff --git a/contrib/systemd/log_config.yaml b/contrib/systemd/log_config.yaml
index 22f67a50ce..4c29787647 100644
--- a/contrib/systemd/log_config.yaml
+++ b/contrib/systemd/log_config.yaml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 version: 1
 
+# Requires the `systemd-python` package in Synapse's runtime environment.
 # In systemd's journal, loglevel is implicitly stored, so let's omit it
 # from the message text.
 formatters:
diff --git a/debian/build_virtualenv b/debian/build_virtualenv
index 9e7fb95c8e..70d4efcbd0 100755
--- a/debian/build_virtualenv
+++ b/debian/build_virtualenv
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@ pip install poetry==2.1.1 poetry-plugin-export==1.9.0
 poetry export \
     --extras all \
     --extras test \
-    --extras systemd \
     -o exported_requirements.txt
+# Keep journald logging support in the packaged virtualenv when using
+# systemd.journal.JournalHandler in /etc/matrix-synapse/log.yaml.
+echo "systemd-python==235 --hash=sha256:4e57f39797fd5d9e2d22b8806a252d7c0106c936039d1e71c8c6b8008e695c0a" >> exported_requirements.txt
 deactivate
 rm -rf "$TEMP_VENV"
 
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ dh_virtualenv \
     --extra-pip-arg="--no-deps" \
     --extra-pip-arg="--no-cache-dir" \
     --extra-pip-arg="--compile" \
-    --extras="all,systemd,test" \
+    --extras="all,test" \
     --requirements="exported_requirements.txt"
 
 PACKAGE_BUILD_DIR="$(pwd)/debian/matrix-synapse-py3"
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 583bb35ad5..5867465aed 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (1.149.0~rc1+nmu1) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
+
+  * Change how the systemd journald integration is installed.
+
+ -- Quentin Gliech <packages@matrix.org>  Fri, 20 Feb 2026 19:19:51 +0100
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.149.0~rc1) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New synapse release 1.149.0rc1.
diff --git a/docs/setup/installation.md b/docs/setup/installation.md
index a48662362a..c887f9900c 100644
--- a/docs/setup/installation.md
+++ b/docs/setup/installation.md
@@ -229,6 +229,11 @@ pip install --upgrade setuptools
 pip install matrix-synapse
 ```
 
+If you want to use a logging configuration that references
+`systemd.journal.JournalHandler` (for example `contrib/systemd/log_config.yaml`),
+you must install `systemd-python` separately in the same environment.
+Synapse no longer provides a `matrix-synapse[systemd]` extra.
+
 This will download Synapse from [PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/matrix-synapse)
 and install it, along with the python libraries it uses, into a virtual environment
 under `~/synapse/env`.  Feel free to pick a different directory if you
diff --git a/docs/upgrade.md b/docs/upgrade.md
index 1630c6ab40..0e2005f282 100644
--- a/docs/upgrade.md
+++ b/docs/upgrade.md
@@ -117,6 +117,22 @@ each upgrade are complete before moving on to the next upgrade, to avoid
 stacking them up. You can monitor the currently running background updates with
 [the Admin API](usage/administration/admin_api/background_updates.html#status).
 
+# Upgrading to v1.150.0
+
+## Removal of the `systemd` pip extra
+
+The `matrix-synapse[systemd]` pip extra has been removed.
+If you use `systemd.journal.JournalHandler` in your logging configuration
+(e.g. `contrib/systemd/log_config.yaml`), you must now install
+`systemd-python` manually in Synapse's runtime environment:
+
+```bash
+pip install systemd-python
+```
+
+No action is needed if you do not use journal logging, or if you installed
+Synapse from the Debian packages (which handle this automatically).
+
 # Upgrading to v1.146.0
 
 ## Drop support for Ubuntu 25.04 Plucky Puffin, and add support for 25.10 Questing Quokka
diff --git a/docs/usage/configuration/logging_sample_config.md b/docs/usage/configuration/logging_sample_config.md
index 23a55abdcc..9cc96df73c 100644
--- a/docs/usage/configuration/logging_sample_config.md
+++ b/docs/usage/configuration/logging_sample_config.md
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ It should be named `<SERVERNAME>.log.config` by default.
 Hint: If you're looking for a guide on what each of the fields in the "Processed request" log lines mean,
 see [Request log format](../administration/request_log.md).
 
+If you use `systemd.journal.JournalHandler` in your own logging config, ensure
+`systemd-python` is installed in Synapse's runtime environment.
+
 ```yaml
 {{#include ../../sample_log_config.yaml}}
 ```
diff --git a/poetry.lock b/poetry.lock
index 7f9b34d38f..0df6addb3a 100644
--- a/poetry.lock
+++ b/poetry.lock
@@ -3128,18 +3128,6 @@ c = ["sqlglotc"]
 dev = ["duckdb (>=0.6)", "mypy", "pandas", "pandas-stubs", "pdoc", "pre-commit", "pyperf", "python-dateutil", "pytz", "ruff (==0.7.2)", "types-python-dateutil", "types-pytz", "typing_extensions"]
 rs = ["sqlglotrs (==0.13.0)"]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "systemd-python"
-version = "235"
-description = "Python interface for libsystemd"
-optional = true
-python-versions = "*"
-groups = ["main"]
-markers = "extra == \"systemd\""
-files = [
-    {file = "systemd-python-235.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:4e57f39797fd5d9e2d22b8806a252d7c0106c936039d1e71c8c6b8008e695c0a"},
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "threadloop"
 version = "1.0.2"
@@ -3761,11 +3749,10 @@ postgres = ["psycopg2", "psycopg2cffi", "psycopg2cffi-compat"]
 redis = ["hiredis", "txredisapi"]
 saml2 = ["defusedxml", "pysaml2", "pytz"]
 sentry = ["sentry-sdk"]
-systemd = ["systemd-python"]
 test = ["idna", "parameterized"]
 url-preview = ["lxml"]
 
 [metadata]
 lock-version = "2.1"
 python-versions = ">=3.10.0,<4.0.0"
-content-hash = "1caa5072f6304122c89377420f993a54f54587f3618ccc8094ec31642264592c"
+content-hash = "dd63614889e7e181fca33760741a490e65fe4ef4f42756cafd0f804ae7324916"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 9d5e3fec2d..b8564816ce 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -135,10 +135,6 @@ saml2 = [
     "pytz>=2018.3",  # via pysaml2
 ]
 oidc = ["authlib>=0.15.1"]
-# systemd-python is necessary for logging to the systemd journal via
-# `systemd.journal.JournalHandler`, as is documented in
-# `contrib/systemd/log_config.yaml`.
-systemd = ["systemd-python>=231"]
 url-preview = ["lxml>=4.6.3"]
 sentry = ["sentry-sdk>=0.7.2"]
 opentracing = [
@@ -194,7 +190,6 @@ all = [
     "pympler>=1.0",
     # omitted:
     #   - test: it's useful to have this separate from dev deps in the olddeps job
-    #   - systemd: this is a system-based requirement
 
     # Transitive dependencies
     # These dependencies aren't directly required by Synapse.