diff --git a/gitea/docker-compose.yml b/gitea/docker-compose.yml
index 5ada731..fbde7ab 100644
--- a/gitea/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/gitea/docker-compose.yml
@@ -56,10 +56,19 @@ services:
     volumes:
       - runner:/data
       - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
+      - ./runner-config.yaml:/data/config.yaml:ro
     environment:
       - GITEA_INSTANCE_URL=http://server:3000
       - GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN=${GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN}
       - GITEA_RUNNER_NAME=docker-runner
+      - CONFIG_FILE=/data/config.yaml
+    command: >
+      sh -c "
+      if [ ! -f /data/.runner ]; then
+        act_runner register --no-interactive --instance http://server:3000 --token $${GITEA_RUNNER_REGISTRATION_TOKEN} --name docker-runner;
+      fi;
+      act_runner --config /data/config.yaml daemon
+      "
     depends_on:
       - server
     labels:
diff --git a/gitea/runner-config.yaml b/gitea/runner-config.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..83cfb3d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gitea/runner-config.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+log:
+  level: info
+
+runner:
+  capacity: 1
+  timeout: 3h
+
+container:
+  # Use the gitea network so job containers can resolve the 'server' hostname
+  network_mode: gitea_gitea
+  privileged: false
+  options: ""
+  workdir_parent: ""
+  valid_volumes: []
+  docker_host: ""