diff --git a/data/org.eclipse.bluechi.Node.xml b/data/org.eclipse.bluechi.Node.xml
index 99a03a72fd..4e05c51b91 100644
--- a/data/org.eclipse.bluechi.Node.xml
+++ b/data/org.eclipse.bluechi.Node.xml
@@ -33,6 +33,25 @@
       <arg name="job" type="o" direction="out" />
     </method>
 
+    <!--
+      StartTransientUnit:
+      @name: The name of the transient unit to start, incl. suffix such as .service
+      @mode: The mode used to start the unit
+      @props: List of key-value pairs of the systemd unit, e.g. ExecStart=/bin/true
+      @aux: Currently unused in systemd. Pass an empty list to it.
+      @job: The path for the job associated with the start operation
+
+      StartTransientUnit may be used to create and start a transient unit, which will be released as soon as it is not running or referenced anymore or the
+    system is rebooted.
+    -->
+    <method name="StartTransientUnit">
+      <arg name="name" type="s" direction="in" />
+      <arg name="mode" type="s" direction="in" />
+      <arg name="props" type="a(sv)" direction="in" />
+      <arg name="aux" type="a(sa(sv))" direction="in" />
+      <arg name="job" type="o" direction="out" />
+    </method>
+
     <!--
       StopUnit:
       @name: The name of the unit to stop
diff --git a/data/org.eclipse.bluechi.internal.Agent.xml b/data/org.eclipse.bluechi.internal.Agent.xml
index b9a4e8d26a..a0c3f91957 100644
--- a/data/org.eclipse.bluechi.internal.Agent.xml
+++ b/data/org.eclipse.bluechi.internal.Agent.xml
@@ -11,6 +11,13 @@
       <arg name="mode" type="s" direction="in" />
       <arg name="jobid" type="u" direction="in" />
     </method>
+    <method name="StartTransientUnit">
+      <arg name="name" type="s" direction="in" />
+      <arg name="mode" type="s" direction="in" />
+      <arg name="props" type="a(sv)" direction="in" />
+      <arg name="aux" type="a(sa(sv))" direction="in" />
+      <arg name="job" type="o" direction="out" />
+    </method>
     <method name="StopUnit">
       <arg name="name" type="s" direction="in" />
       <arg name="mode" type="s" direction="in" />
diff --git a/doc/docs/api/description.md b/doc/docs/api/description.md
index 10d73fbc4a..776403bf8d 100644
--- a/doc/docs/api/description.md
+++ b/doc/docs/api/description.md
@@ -150,6 +150,14 @@ Object path: `/org/eclipse/bluechi/node/$name`
     The job returned is an object path for an object implementing `org.eclipse.bluechi.Job`, and which be monitored for
     the progress of the job, or used to cancel the job. To track the result of the job, follow the `JobRemoved` signal
     on the Controller.
+  
+  * `StartTransientUnit(in  s name, in  s mode, in  a(sv) properties, in  a(sa(sv)) aux, out o job)`
+
+    `StartTransientUnit()` may be used to create and start a transient unit, which will be released as soon as it is not
+    running or referenced anymore or the system is rebooted. name is the unit name including suffix, and must be unique.
+    `mode` is the same as in `StartUnit()`, properties contains properties of the unit, specified like in SetUnitProperties().
+    `aux` is currently unused and should be passed as empty array. See the New Control Group Interfaces for more information
+    how to make use of this functionality for resource control purposes.
 
   * `StopUnit(in s name, in s mode, out o job)`
 
diff --git a/src/agent/agent.c b/src/agent/agent.c
index 24446e84cb..ac798bd054 100644
--- a/src/agent/agent.c
+++ b/src/agent/agent.c
@@ -1783,6 +1783,7 @@ static const sd_bus_vtable internal_agent_vtable[] = {
         SD_BUS_METHOD("GetUnitProperty", "sss", "v", agent_method_get_unit_property, 0),
         SD_BUS_METHOD("SetUnitProperties", "sba(sv)", "", agent_method_set_unit_properties, 0),
         SD_BUS_METHOD("StartUnit", "ssu", "", agent_method_start_unit, 0),
+        SD_BUS_METHOD("StartTransientUnit", "ssa(sv)a(sa(sv))", "o", agent_method_passthrough_to_systemd, 0),
         SD_BUS_METHOD("StopUnit", "ssu", "", agent_method_stop_unit, 0),
         SD_BUS_METHOD("FreezeUnit", "s", "", agent_method_freeze_unit, 0),
         SD_BUS_METHOD("ThawUnit", "s", "", agent_method_thaw_unit, 0),
diff --git a/src/bindings/python/bluechi/api.py b/src/bindings/python/bluechi/api.py
index d4dc316d07..b8791a23b0 100644
--- a/src/bindings/python/bluechi/api.py
+++ b/src/bindings/python/bluechi/api.py
@@ -1095,6 +1095,31 @@ def set_unit_properties(
             keyvalues,
         )
 
+    def start_transient_unit(
+        self,
+        name: str,
+        mode: str,
+        props: List[Tuple[str, Variant]],
+        aux: List[Tuple[str, List[Tuple[str, Variant]]]],
+    ) -> ObjPath:
+        """
+            StartTransientUnit:
+          @name: The name of the transient unit to start, incl. suffix such as .service
+          @mode: The mode used to start the unit
+          @props: List of key-value pairs of the systemd unit, e.g. ExecStart=/bin/true
+          @aux: Currently unused in systemd. Pass an empty list to it.
+          @job: The path for the job associated with the start operation
+
+          StartTransientUnit may be used to create and start a transient unit, which will be released as soon as it is not running or referenced anymore or the
+        system is rebooted.
+        """
+        return self.get_proxy().StartTransientUnit(
+            name,
+            mode,
+            props,
+            aux,
+        )
+
     def start_unit(self, name: str, mode: str) -> ObjPath:
         """
             StartUnit:
diff --git a/src/controller/node.c b/src/controller/node.c
index 93775402b1..63857bac94 100644
--- a/src/controller/node.c
+++ b/src/controller/node.c
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ static const sd_bus_vtable node_vtable[] = {
         SD_BUS_METHOD("ListUnitFiles", "", UNIT_FILE_INFO_STRUCT_ARRAY_TYPESTRING, node_method_list_unit_files, 0),
         SD_BUS_METHOD("GetUnitFileState", "s", "s", node_method_passthrough_to_agent, 0),
         SD_BUS_METHOD("StartUnit", "ss", "o", node_method_start_unit, 0),
+        SD_BUS_METHOD("StartTransientUnit", "ssa(sv)a(sa(sv))", "o", node_method_passthrough_to_agent, 0),
         SD_BUS_METHOD("StopUnit", "ss", "o", node_method_stop_unit, 0),
         SD_BUS_METHOD("FreezeUnit", "s", "", node_method_passthrough_to_agent, 0),
         SD_BUS_METHOD("ThawUnit", "s", "", node_method_passthrough_to_agent, 0),
diff --git a/tests/tests/tier0/bluechi-controller-start-transient-unit/main.fmf b/tests/tests/tier0/bluechi-controller-start-transient-unit/main.fmf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e06e38084e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tests/tier0/bluechi-controller-start-transient-unit/main.fmf
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+summary: Test starting a transient unit
+id: c683d707-9e11-49e2-8b87-d759ae676f52
diff --git a/tests/tests/tier0/bluechi-controller-start-transient-unit/python/start_transient.py b/tests/tests/tier0/bluechi-controller-start-transient-unit/python/start_transient.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..07c21b4c40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tests/tier0/bluechi-controller-start-transient-unit/python/start_transient.py
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+#
+# Copyright Contributors to the Eclipse BlueChi project
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
+
+import unittest
+
+from dasbus.loop import EventLoop
+from dasbus.typing import Variant
+
+from bluechi.api import Controller, Monitor, Node
+
+
+class TestStartTransientUnit(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def __init__(self, methodName="runTest"):
+        super().__init__(methodName)
+
+        self.transient_unit = "transient.service"
+        self.received_new_signal = False
+        self.received_removed_signal = False
+
+    def test_start_transient_unit(self):
+        loop = EventLoop()
+
+        controller = Controller()
+        monitor_path = controller.create_monitor()
+        monitor = Monitor(monitor_path)
+        monitor.subscribe("node-foo", self.transient_unit)
+
+        def on_new_unit(node, unit, reason):
+            if unit == self.transient_unit:
+                self.received_new_signal = True
+
+        def on_removed_unit(node, unit, reason):
+            if unit == self.transient_unit:
+                self.received_removed_signal = True
+                loop.quit()
+
+        monitor.on_unit_new(on_new_unit)
+        monitor.on_unit_removed(on_removed_unit)
+
+        node = Node("node-foo")
+        node.start_transient_unit(
+            self.transient_unit,
+            "replace",
+            [
+                ("Description", Variant("s", "My Test Transient Service")),
+                (
+                    "ExecStart",
+                    Variant(
+                        "a(sasb)", [("/usr/bin/sleep", ["/usr/bin/sleep", "1"], False)]
+                    ),
+                ),
+            ],
+            [],
+        )
+
+        loop.run()
+
+        assert self.received_new_signal, "Did not receive new signal"
+        assert self.received_removed_signal, "Did not receive remove signal"
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/tests/tier0/bluechi-controller-start-transient-unit/test_bluechi_controller_start_transient_unit.py b/tests/tests/tier0/bluechi-controller-start-transient-unit/test_bluechi_controller_start_transient_unit.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d7b6afa33e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tests/tier0/bluechi-controller-start-transient-unit/test_bluechi_controller_start_transient_unit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#
+# Copyright Contributors to the Eclipse BlueChi project
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
+
+import os
+from typing import Dict
+
+from bluechi_test.config import BluechiAgentConfig, BluechiControllerConfig
+from bluechi_test.machine import BluechiAgentMachine, BluechiControllerMachine
+from bluechi_test.test import BluechiTest
+
+
+def exec(ctrl: BluechiControllerMachine, _: Dict[str, BluechiAgentMachine]):
+    result, output = ctrl.run_python(os.path.join("python", "start_transient.py"))
+    if result != 0:
+        raise Exception(output)
+
+
+def test_bluechi_controller_start_transient_unit(
+    bluechi_test: BluechiTest,
+    bluechi_ctrl_default_config: BluechiControllerConfig,
+    bluechi_node_default_config: BluechiAgentConfig,
+):
+    node_foo_cfg = bluechi_node_default_config.deep_copy()
+    node_foo_cfg.node_name = "node-foo"
+
+    bluechi_ctrl_default_config.allowed_node_names = ["node-foo"]
+
+    bluechi_test.set_bluechi_controller_config(bluechi_ctrl_default_config)
+    bluechi_test.add_bluechi_agent_config(node_foo_cfg)
+
+    bluechi_test.run(exec)