diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8a31590..325739d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ The installer will, by default:
 - copy the checkout to `/opt/pobsync/app`
 - create `/opt/pobsync/venv`
 - write `/etc/pobsync/pobsync.env` if it does not exist
+- install `pobsync-manage`, a Django management wrapper that loads `/etc/pobsync/pobsync.env`
 - create `/var/lib/pobsync`, `/var/log/pobsync`, and the backup root
 - install Python dependencies
 - run migrations and collect static files
@@ -127,7 +128,15 @@ http://127.0.0.1:8010/
 Create a superuser if needed:
 
 ```
-sudo -u pobsync /opt/pobsync/venv/bin/python /opt/pobsync/app/manage.py createsuperuser
+sudo -u pobsync pobsync-manage createsuperuser
+```
+
+For other Django management commands on native installs, use `pobsync-manage` so the production environment file is
+loaded before Django starts:
+
+```
+sudo -u pobsync pobsync-manage showmigrations pobsync_backend
+sudo -u pobsync pobsync-manage check
 ```
 
 The UI includes:
diff --git a/deploy/bin/pobsync-manage b/deploy/bin/pobsync-manage
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f55c96a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deploy/bin/pobsync-manage
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -eu
+
+APP_DIR="@POBSYNC_APP_DIR@"
+VENV_DIR="@POBSYNC_VENV_DIR@"
+ENV_FILE="@POBSYNC_ENV_FILE@"
+
+if [ ! -f "$ENV_FILE" ]; then
+    echo "pobsync environment file not found: $ENV_FILE" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+set -a
+# shellcheck disable=SC1090
+. "$ENV_FILE"
+set +a
+
+cd "$APP_DIR"
+exec "$VENV_DIR/bin/python" "$APP_DIR/manage.py" "$@"
diff --git a/scripts/install-systemd b/scripts/install-systemd
index 938d947..05cbc23 100755
--- a/scripts/install-systemd
+++ b/scripts/install-systemd
@@ -504,10 +504,21 @@ install_units() {
 
 run_step "Install systemd units" install_units
 
+install_manage_wrapper() {
+    sed \
+        -e "s|@POBSYNC_APP_DIR@|$APP_DIR|g" \
+        -e "s|@POBSYNC_VENV_DIR@|$VENV_DIR|g" \
+        -e "s|@POBSYNC_ENV_FILE@|$ENV_FILE|g" \
+        "$APP_DIR/deploy/bin/pobsync-manage" > /usr/local/bin/pobsync-manage
+    chmod 0755 /usr/local/bin/pobsync-manage
+}
+
+run_step "Install manage wrapper" install_manage_wrapper
+
 run_step "Reload systemd" systemctl daemon-reload
-run_step "Run database migrations" "$VENV_DIR/bin/python" "$APP_DIR/manage.py" migrate --noinput
-run_step "Ensure default SSH key" "$VENV_DIR/bin/python" "$APP_DIR/manage.py" ensure_pobsync_ssh_key --name default --set-global-default
-run_step "Collect static files" "$VENV_DIR/bin/python" "$APP_DIR/manage.py" collectstatic --noinput --clear
+run_step "Run database migrations" /usr/local/bin/pobsync-manage migrate --noinput
+run_step "Ensure default SSH key" /usr/local/bin/pobsync-manage ensure_pobsync_ssh_key --name default --set-global-default
+run_step "Collect static files" /usr/local/bin/pobsync-manage collectstatic --noinput --clear
 run_step "Finalize state permissions" chown -R "$SERVICE_USER:$SERVICE_GROUP" /var/lib/pobsync /var/log/pobsync
 
 superuser_exists=$("$VENV_DIR/bin/python" -c "import os; os.environ.setdefault('DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE', 'pobsync_server.settings'); import django; django.setup(); from django.contrib.auth import get_user_model; print('yes' if get_user_model().objects.filter(is_superuser=True).exists() else 'no')")
@@ -519,17 +530,17 @@ if [ "$CREATE_SUPERUSER" -eq 1 ]; then
             DJANGO_SUPERUSER_USERNAME="$SUPERUSER_USERNAME" \
             DJANGO_SUPERUSER_EMAIL="$SUPERUSER_EMAIL" \
             DJANGO_SUPERUSER_PASSWORD="$SUPERUSER_PASSWORD" \
-            "$VENV_DIR/bin/python" "$APP_DIR/manage.py" createsuperuser --noinput
+            /usr/local/bin/pobsync-manage createsuperuser --noinput
         run_step "Finalize superuser permissions" chown -R "$SERVICE_USER:$SERVICE_GROUP" /var/lib/pobsync /var/log/pobsync
     else
         note_step "Create Django superuser" "SKIPPED"
         echo "No superuser password was provided; create one later with:"
-        echo "  sudo -u $SERVICE_USER $VENV_DIR/bin/python $APP_DIR/manage.py createsuperuser"
+        echo "  sudo -u $SERVICE_USER pobsync-manage createsuperuser"
     fi
 elif [ "$superuser_exists" != "yes" ]; then
     note_step "Create Django superuser" "SKIPPED"
     echo "No Django superuser exists yet. Create one with:"
-    echo "  sudo -u $SERVICE_USER $VENV_DIR/bin/python $APP_DIR/manage.py createsuperuser"
+    echo "  sudo -u $SERVICE_USER pobsync-manage createsuperuser"
 else
     note_step "Create Django superuser" "SKIPPED"
 fi
@@ -574,3 +585,4 @@ echo
 echo "Useful commands:"
 echo "  systemctl status pobsync-web pobsync-worker pobsync-scheduler"
 echo "  journalctl -u pobsync-worker -f"
+echo "  sudo -u $SERVICE_USER pobsync-manage check"