diff --git a/src/config.zig b/src/config.zig
index 4f87967..d04d97c 100644
--- a/src/config.zig
+++ b/src/config.zig
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ limit_auto_save_file_types: ?[]const []const u8 = null, // null means *all*
 enable_prefix_keyhints: bool = true,
 enable_auto_find: bool = true,
 
+auto_run_time_seconds: usize = 360, //seconds
+auto_run_commands: ?[]const []const u8 = null, // a list of simple commands
+
 indent_size: usize = 4,
 tab_width: usize = 8,
 indent_mode: IndentMode = .auto,
diff --git a/src/tui/tui.zig b/src/tui/tui.zig
index f04f7d3..6ad0b07 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui.zig
+++ b/src/tui/tui.zig
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ color_scheme_locked: bool = false,
 hint_mode: HintMode = .prefix,
 last_palette: ?LastPalette = null,
 
+auto_run_timer: ?tp.Cancellable = null,
+
 const HintMode = enum { none, prefix, all };
 
 const LastPalette = struct {
@@ -257,9 +259,15 @@ fn init_delayed(self: *Self) command.Result {
             try cmds.enter_mode(self, command.Context.fmt(.{keybind.default_mode}));
         }
     }
+    self.start_auto_run_timer();
 }
 
 fn deinit(self: *Self) void {
+    if (self.auto_run_timer) |*t| {
+        t.cancel() catch {};
+        t.deinit();
+        self.auto_run_timer = null;
+    }
     if (self.input_idle_timer) |*t| {
         t.cancel() catch {};
         t.deinit();
@@ -346,6 +354,23 @@ fn update_mouse_idle_timer(self: *Self) void {
     self.mouse_idle_timer = tp.self_pid().delay_send_cancellable(self.allocator, "tui.mouse_idle_timer", delay, .{"MOUSE_IDLE"}) catch return;
 }
 
+fn auto_run(self: *Self) void {
+    const auto_run_cmds = self.config_.auto_run_commands orelse return;
+    for (auto_run_cmds) |cmd|
+        command.executeName(cmd, .{}) catch |e| self.logger.print_err("autorun", "auto run command '{s}' failed: {t}", .{ cmd, e });
+    self.start_auto_run_timer();
+}
+
+fn start_auto_run_timer(self: *Self) void {
+    const delay = std.time.us_per_s * @as(u64, self.config_.auto_run_time_seconds);
+    if (self.auto_run_timer) |*t| {
+        t.cancel() catch {};
+        t.deinit();
+        self.auto_run_timer = null;
+    }
+    self.auto_run_timer = tp.self_pid().delay_send_cancellable(self.allocator, "tui.auto_run_timer", delay, .{"AUTO_RUN"}) catch return;
+}
+
 fn receive(self: *Self, from: tp.pid_ref, m: tp.message) tp.result {
     const frame = tracy.initZone(@src(), .{ .name = "tui" });
     defer frame.deinit();
@@ -510,6 +535,13 @@ fn receive_safe(self: *Self, from: tp.pid_ref, m: tp.message) !void {
         return;
     }
 
+    if (try m.match(.{"AUTO_RUN"})) {
+        if (self.auto_run_timer) |*t| t.deinit();
+        self.auto_run_timer = null;
+        self.auto_run();
+        return;
+    }
+
     if (try m.match(.{ "fontface", "done" })) {
         return self.enter_overlay_mode(@import("mode/overlay/fontface_palette.zig").Type);
     }