diff --git a/package/confd/sysrepo.conf b/package/confd/sysrepo.conf
index d5e00ded..a78d4e56 100644
--- a/package/confd/sysrepo.conf
+++ b/package/confd/sysrepo.conf
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 run if:<boot/netconf> [S] /lib/infix/clean-etc --
 run if:<boot/netconf> [S] /lib/infix/prep-db --
-service if:<boot/netconf> name:sysrepo [12345789] sysrepo-plugind -n -- Configuration daemon
+
+service if:<boot/netconf> name:sysrepo [S12345789] sysrepo-plugind -p /run/sysrepo.pid  -n -- Configuration daemon
+run if:<boot/netconf> [S] log <pid/sysrepo> sysrepocfg -v4 -E/cfg/startup-config.cfg -f json --
 service if:<boot/netconf> name:netopeer [12345789] netopeer2-server -n -- NETCONF daemon
 
 task if:<boot/netconf> [12345789] resolvconf -u -- Update DNS configuration
diff --git a/src/confd/src/core.c b/src/confd/src/core.c
index 1727cace..1d5faa58 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/core.c
+++ b/src/confd/src/core.c
@@ -4,12 +4,24 @@
 
 static struct confd confd;
 
+static int startup_save_hook(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t sub_id, const char *module,
+	const char *xpath, sr_event_t event, unsigned request_id, void *priv)
+{
+	if (run("sysrepocfg -X/cfg/startup-config.cfg -d startup -f json"))
+		return SR_ERR_SYS;
+
+	return SR_ERR_OK;
+}
+
 int sr_plugin_init_cb(sr_session_ctx_t *session, void **priv)
 {
+	sr_session_ctx_t *startup;
 	int rc = SR_ERR_SYS;
 
 	openlog("confd", LOG_USER, 0);
 
+	/* Save context with default running config datastore for all our models */
+	*priv = (void *)&confd;
 	confd.session = session;
 	confd.conn    = sr_session_get_connection(session);
 	confd.sub     = NULL;
@@ -21,11 +33,21 @@ int sr_plugin_init_cb(sr_session_ctx_t *session, void **priv)
 	if (!confd.aug)
 		goto err;
 
-	*priv = (void *)&confd;
-
-	if (ietf_system_init(&confd))
+	if (rc = ietf_system_init(&confd))
 		goto err;
 
+	/* YOUR_INIT GOES HERE */
+
+	/* Set up hook to save startup-config to persisten backend store */
+	if (rc = sr_session_start(confd.conn, SR_DS_STARTUP, &startup))
+		goto err;
+
+	if (rc = sr_module_change_subscribe(startup, "ietf-system", "/ietf-system:system//.",
+			startup_save_hook, NULL, 0, SR_SUBSCR_PASSIVE | SR_SUBSCR_DONE_ONLY, &confd.sub)) {
+		ERROR("failed setting up startup-config hook: %s", sr_strerror(rc));
+		goto err;
+	}
+
 	return SR_ERR_OK;
 err:
 	ERROR("init failed: %s", sr_strerror(rc));