diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 5e6d3d2..df1c6bd 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ if(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Linux")
   target_include_directories(frameyap_mount PUBLIC src)
   add_library(frameyap_worker src/worker.cpp)
   target_include_directories(frameyap_worker PUBLIC src)
+  add_library(frameyap_battery src/battery.cpp)
+  target_include_directories(frameyap_battery PUBLIC src)
 endif()
 if(FRAMEYAP_NATIVE)
   if(NOT CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME STREQUAL "Linux")
@@ -100,7 +102,7 @@ if(FRAMEYAP_NATIVE)
   target_sources(frameyap PRIVATE src/runtime.cpp src/controller.cpp src/backend_manager.cpp src/overlay.cpp src/overlay_texture.cpp src/audio.cpp src/text_input.cpp src/focus_guard.cpp
     "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/gamescope-input-method.c" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/gamescope-input-method-client.h")
   target_include_directories(frameyap PRIVATE "${OPENVR_INCLUDE_DIR}" "${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}")
-  target_link_libraries(frameyap PRIVATE frameyap_paced frameyap_worker frameyap_mount frameyap_panel PkgConfig::SDL3 PkgConfig::WAYLAND PkgConfig::XCB Vulkan::Vulkan "${OPENVR_LIBRARY}")
+  target_link_libraries(frameyap PRIVATE frameyap_paced frameyap_worker frameyap_mount frameyap_battery frameyap_panel PkgConfig::SDL3 PkgConfig::WAYLAND PkgConfig::XCB Vulkan::Vulkan "${OPENVR_LIBRARY}")
   target_compile_definitions(frameyap PRIVATE FRAMEYAP_NATIVE=1)
   set_target_properties(frameyap PROPERTIES INSTALL_RPATH "$ORIGIN/../lib")
 endif()
@@ -176,6 +178,10 @@ if(BUILD_TESTING AND NOT CMAKE_CROSSCOMPILING)
     add_executable(frameyap_lock_test tests/lock_test.cpp)
     target_include_directories(frameyap_lock_test PRIVATE src)
     add_test(NAME frameyap.instance_lock COMMAND frameyap_lock_test)
+    add_executable(frameyap_battery_test tests/battery_test.cpp)
+    target_link_libraries(frameyap_battery_test PRIVATE frameyap_battery)
+    target_compile_options(frameyap_battery_test PRIVATE -UNDEBUG)
+    add_test(NAME frameyap.battery COMMAND frameyap_battery_test)
   endif()
   add_executable(frameyap_panel_drag_test tests/panel_drag_test.cpp)
   target_include_directories(frameyap_panel_drag_test PRIVATE src)
diff --git a/src/battery.cpp b/src/battery.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d629a67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/battery.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#include "battery.hpp"
+#include <algorithm>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <string>
+#include <system_error>
+#include <vector>
+
+namespace frameyap {
+namespace {
+std::string first_line(const std::filesystem::path& path) {
+    std::ifstream in(path);
+    std::string line;
+    if (in) std::getline(in, line);
+    return line;
+}
+} // namespace
+
+std::optional<BatteryLevel> system_battery(const std::filesystem::path& root) {
+    std::error_code error;
+    std::vector<std::filesystem::path> supplies;
+    for (const auto& entry : std::filesystem::directory_iterator(root, error)) supplies.push_back(entry.path());
+    std::sort(supplies.begin(), supplies.end()); // deterministic choice among several
+    for (const auto& supply : supplies) {
+        if (first_line(supply / "type") != "Battery" || first_line(supply / "scope") == "Device") continue;
+        const auto capacity = first_line(supply / "capacity");
+        if (capacity.empty() || capacity.size() > 3 ||
+            !std::all_of(capacity.begin(), capacity.end(), [](char c) { return c >= '0' && c <= '9'; }))
+            continue;
+        const int percent = std::stoi(capacity);
+        if (percent > 100) continue;
+        return BatteryLevel{percent, first_line(supply / "status") == "Charging"};
+    }
+    return std::nullopt;
+}
+} // namespace frameyap
diff --git a/src/battery.hpp b/src/battery.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46a7e12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/battery.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#pragma once
+#include <filesystem>
+#include <optional>
+
+namespace frameyap {
+struct BatteryLevel {
+    int percent = 0; // 0..100
+    bool charging = false;
+    bool operator==(const BatteryLevel&) const = default;
+};
+// The device's own battery from a Linux power_supply tree. Peripheral batteries
+// (scope=Device, such as paired controllers) are skipped. Read-only; no sudo.
+std::optional<BatteryLevel> system_battery(const std::filesystem::path& root = "/sys/class/power_supply");
+} // namespace frameyap
diff --git a/tests/battery_test.cpp b/tests/battery_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f2c1e0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/battery_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#include "battery.hpp"
+#include <cassert>
+#include <fstream>
+#include <string>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+using namespace frameyap;
+namespace fs = std::filesystem;
+namespace {
+void put(const fs::path& path, const std::string& value) {
+    fs::create_directories(path.parent_path());
+    std::ofstream(path) << value << '\n';
+}
+}
+int main() {
+    const auto root = fs::temp_directory_path() / ("frameyap-battery-" + std::to_string(::getpid()));
+    fs::remove_all(root);
+    assert(!system_battery(root)); // missing tree
+    fs::create_directories(root);
+    put(root / "AC/type", "Mains");
+    put(root / "AC/online", "1");
+    put(root / "hid-controller/type", "Battery"); // paired peripheral, not the headset
+    put(root / "hid-controller/scope", "Device");
+    put(root / "hid-controller/capacity", "12");
+    assert(!system_battery(root));
+    put(root / "BAT0/type", "Battery");
+    put(root / "BAT0/capacity", "250"); // implausible values are ignored
+    assert(!system_battery(root));
+    put(root / "BAT0/capacity", "64");
+    put(root / "BAT0/status", "Discharging");
+    assert((system_battery(root) == BatteryLevel{64, false}));
+    put(root / "BAT0/status", "Charging");
+    assert((system_battery(root) == BatteryLevel{64, true}));
+    put(root / "BAT0/capacity", "x1");
+    assert(!system_battery(root));
+    fs::remove_all(root);
+}