diff --git a/ledger.jsonl b/ledger.jsonl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9908383
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ledger.jsonl
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{"timestamp": "2026-03-19T19:33:35.578559", "model": "haiku", "success": true, "elapsed_seconds": 5.66, "input_tokens": 9, "output_tokens": 351, "estimated_cost_usd": 0.00975, "prompt_preview": "Classify this task:\n\nExtract email addresses from: Contact hello@example.com or support@test.org"}
+{"timestamp": "2026-03-19T19:33:39.317944", "model": "haiku", "success": true, "elapsed_seconds": 3.74, "input_tokens": 10, "output_tokens": 145, "estimated_cost_usd": 0.008121, "prompt_preview": "Extract email addresses from: Contact hello@example.com or support@test.org"}
+{"timestamp": "2026-03-19T19:33:47.049069", "model": "haiku", "success": true, "elapsed_seconds": 7.73, "input_tokens": 9, "output_tokens": 515, "estimated_cost_usd": 0.005704, "prompt_preview": "Classify this task:\n\nWrite a 3-sentence product description for an AI task router that saves money by using cheaper models"}
+{"timestamp": "2026-03-19T19:33:53.207966", "model": "sonnet", "success": true, "elapsed_seconds": 6.16, "input_tokens": 3, "output_tokens": 139, "estimated_cost_usd": 0.038423, "prompt_preview": "Write a 3-sentence product description for an AI task router that saves money by using cheaper models"}
diff --git a/symbiont-api.service b/symbiont-api.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92ddea3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/symbiont-api.service
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Symbiont AI Orchestrator API
+After=network-online.target
+Wants=network-online.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=simple
+WorkingDirectory=/data/symbiont
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 -m symbiont.main --serve --host 127.0.0.1 --port 8111
+Restart=always
+RestartSec=10
+# If I crash 5 times in 60 seconds, stop trying (something is fundamentally wrong)
+StartLimitIntervalSec=60
+StartLimitBurst=5
+# Environment
+Environment=PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+Environment=PYTHONPATH=/data/symbiont
+# Logging
+StandardOutput=journal
+StandardError=journal
+SyslogIdentifier=symbiont-api
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/symbiont-heartbeat.service b/symbiont-heartbeat.service
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..892fe08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/symbiont-heartbeat.service
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Symbiont Heartbeat - queue processing and self-diagnostics
+After=network-online.target
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+WorkingDirectory=/data/symbiont
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/python3 -m symbiont.heartbeat
+Environment=PYTHONPATH=/data/symbiont
+StandardOutput=journal
+StandardError=journal
+SyslogIdentifier=symbiont-heartbeat
diff --git a/symbiont-heartbeat.timer b/symbiont-heartbeat.timer
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5661be9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/symbiont-heartbeat.timer
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Symbiont Heartbeat Timer - every 5 minutes
+
+[Timer]
+OnBootSec=30
+OnUnitActiveSec=5min
+AccuracySec=30s
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=timers.target
diff --git a/symbiont/heartbeat.py b/symbiont/heartbeat.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..50c0e69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/symbiont/heartbeat.py
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Heartbeat: Periodic self-check and queue processing.
+
+Run by systemd timer every 5 minutes. This is Symbiont's autonomic nervous system:
+- Process any pending tasks in the queue
+- Check rate limit status and clear expired limits
+- Log a heartbeat to the ledger for uptime tracking
+- Basic self-diagnostics
+"""
+
+import json
+import logging
+import subprocess
+import sys
+from datetime import datetime
+from pathlib import Path
+
+logging.basicConfig(
+    level=logging.INFO,
+    format="%(asctime)s [heartbeat] %(levelname)s: %(message)s",
+)
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+HEARTBEAT_LOG = Path("/data/symbiont/heartbeat.jsonl")
+LEDGER_PATH = Path("/data/symbiont/ledger.jsonl")
+
+
+def check_claude_cli():
+    """Verify Claude Code CLI is authenticated and responsive."""
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            ["claude", "auth", "status"],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=10,
+        )
+        output = result.stdout.strip()
+        if '"loggedIn": true' in output:
+            return {"status": "ok", "detail": "authenticated"}
+        else:
+            return {"status": "error", "detail": "not authenticated"}
+    except Exception as e:
+        return {"status": "error", "detail": str(e)}
+
+
+def check_disk():
+    """Check available disk space."""
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            ["df", "-h", "/data"],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5,
+        )
+        lines = result.stdout.strip().split("\n")
+        if len(lines) >= 2:
+            parts = lines[1].split()
+            return {
+                "status": "ok",
+                "total": parts[1],
+                "used": parts[2],
+                "available": parts[3],
+                "use_pct": parts[4],
+            }
+    except Exception as e:
+        return {"status": "error", "detail": str(e)}
+
+
+def check_api_server():
+    """Check if the API server is running."""
+    try:
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            ["systemctl", "is-active", "symbiont-api"],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=5,
+        )
+        active = result.stdout.strip()
+        return {"status": "ok" if active == "active" else "down", "detail": active}
+    except Exception as e:
+        return {"status": "error", "detail": str(e)}
+
+
+def get_ledger_stats():
+    """Quick summary of today's ledger activity."""
+    if not LEDGER_PATH.exists():
+        return {"calls_today": 0, "cost_today": 0}
+
+    today = datetime.now().strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+    calls = 0
+    cost = 0.0
+
+    for line in LEDGER_PATH.read_text().strip().split("\n"):
+        if not line:
+            continue
+        try:
+            entry = json.loads(line)
+            if entry.get("timestamp", "").startswith(today):
+                calls += 1
+                cost += entry.get("estimated_cost_usd", 0)
+        except json.JSONDecodeError:
+            continue
+
+    return {"calls_today": calls, "cost_today": round(cost, 4)}
+
+
+def process_queue():
+    """Process pending tasks if any exist."""
+    try:
+        sys.path.insert(0, "/data/symbiont")
+        from symbiont.scheduler import get_pending_tasks, mark_task_done
+        from symbiont.router import route_task
+
+        tasks = get_pending_tasks()
+        if not tasks:
+            return {"processed": 0}
+
+        processed = 0
+        for task_entry in tasks:
+            task_id = task_entry["id"]
+            result = route_task(task_entry["task"])
+            if result["success"]:
+                mark_task_done(task_id, result["output"])
+                processed += 1
+            elif result["rate_limited"]:
+                logger.info("Rate limited, will retry next heartbeat")
+                break
+            else:
+                mark_task_done(task_id, f"ERROR: {result['error']}")
+                processed += 1
+
+        return {"processed": processed, "remaining": len(tasks) - processed}
+    except Exception as e:
+        return {"error": str(e)}
+
+
+def run_heartbeat():
+    """Run all checks and log the heartbeat."""
+    logger.info("Heartbeat starting")
+
+    heartbeat = {
+        "timestamp": datetime.now().isoformat(),
+        "claude_cli": check_claude_cli(),
+        "disk": check_disk(),
+        "api_server": check_api_server(),
+        "ledger": get_ledger_stats(),
+        "queue": process_queue(),
+    }
+
+    # Determine overall health
+    checks = [heartbeat["claude_cli"]["status"], heartbeat["api_server"]["status"]]
+    if all(s == "ok" for s in checks):
+        heartbeat["health"] = "healthy"
+    elif any(s == "error" for s in checks):
+        heartbeat["health"] = "degraded"
+    else:
+        heartbeat["health"] = "unhealthy"
+
+    # Log it
+    HEARTBEAT_LOG.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    with open(HEARTBEAT_LOG, "a") as f:
+        f.write(json.dumps(heartbeat) + "\n")
+
+    logger.info(f"Health: {heartbeat['health']} | "
+                f"CLI: {heartbeat['claude_cli']['status']} | "
+                f"API: {heartbeat['api_server']['status']} | "
+                f"Queue processed: {heartbeat['queue'].get('processed', 0)} | "
+                f"Today's calls: {heartbeat['ledger']['calls_today']} "
+                f"(${heartbeat['ledger']['cost_today']})")
+
+    return heartbeat
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    run_heartbeat()
diff --git a/test_router.py b/test_router.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f162caf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_router.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""End-to-end test of the Symbiont router."""
+
+import sys
+import json
+
+sys.path.insert(0, "/data/symbiont")
+from symbiont.router import route_task
+
+print("=" * 60)
+print("SYMBIONT ROUTER - END TO END TEST")
+print("=" * 60)
+
+# Test 1: Simple task (should route to Haiku)
+print()
+print("--- Test 1: Simple extraction task ---")
+result = route_task("Extract email addresses from: Contact hello@example.com or support@test.org")
+print(json.dumps(result, indent=2))
+
+# Test 2: Medium task (should route to Sonnet)
+print()
+print("--- Test 2: Content writing task ---")
+result = route_task("Write a 3-sentence product description for an AI task router that saves money by using cheaper models")
+print(json.dumps(result, indent=2))
+
+print()
+print("=" * 60)
+print("TESTS COMPLETE")
+print("=" * 60)