diff --git a/create-linode.sh b/create-linode.sh
index 38d6ee2..0097273 100755
--- a/create-linode.sh
+++ b/create-linode.sh
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ VOLUME_NAME="ValVol202609"
 VOLUME_DEVICE="/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-0Linode_Volume_$VOLUME_NAME"
 VOLUME_MOUNT="/mnt/$VOLUME_NAME"
 
+# StackScript that mounts the volume on first boot (see stackscript.md).
+# Enter the numeric StackScript ID manually after creating it in the Linode UI.
+STACKSCRIPT_ID="2225110"
+
 if [[ "$SCRIPT_ACTION" == "" || "$SCRIPT_ACTION" == "--help" || "$SCRIPT_ACTION" == "-?" ]]; then
   echo "Linode helper script: create-linode.sh <action> <label> [args]"
   echo "Create:  create-linode.sh c <new label>"
@@ -45,6 +49,8 @@ if [[ "$SCRIPT_ACTION" == "c" ]]; then
   INSTANCE_SIZE="g6-standard-4"
   INSTANCE_IMAGE="linode/debian13"
 
+  # The StackScript (see stackscript.md) runs as root on first boot and mounts
+  # the volume, so no SSH session is needed to configure it.
   curl -s -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer $LINODE_API_KEY" \
     -X POST -d '{
@@ -53,11 +59,29 @@ if [[ "$SCRIPT_ACTION" == "c" ]]; then
           "type": "'$INSTANCE_SIZE'",
           "image": "'$INSTANCE_IMAGE'",
           "root_pass": "'$ROOT_PASS'",
-          "authorized_users": ["ni7ne_midpriv"]
+          "authorized_users": ["ni7ne_midpriv"],
+          "stackscript_id": '$STACKSCRIPT_ID'
         }' \
     https://api.linode.com/v4/linode/instances | jq .
 
-  sleep 60
+  # Wait for the Linode to finish provisioning instead of blindly sleeping.
+  # Poll the status until it reports "running", which is the state required
+  # before the volume can be attached. 60 attempts x 10s = 10 minute ceiling.
+  INSTANCE_STATUS=""
+  for _ in $(seq 1 60); do
+    INSTANCE_STATUS=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $LINODE_API_KEY" https://api.linode.com/v4/linode/instances | jq -r '.data[] | select(.label == "'$LINODE_LABEL'") | .status')
+    if [[ "$INSTANCE_STATUS" == "running" ]]; then
+      break
+    fi
+    echo "Waiting for $LINODE_LABEL to reach running (status: ${INSTANCE_STATUS:-unknown})..."
+    sleep 10
+  done
+
+  if [[ "$INSTANCE_STATUS" != "running" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: $LINODE_LABEL did not reach running (last status: ${INSTANCE_STATUS:-unknown})." >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
   INSTANCE_IP=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $LINODE_API_KEY" https://api.linode.com/v4/linode/instances | jq '.data[] | select(.label == "'$LINODE_LABEL'") | .ipv4[]' | sed -e "s/\"//g")
   INSTANCE_ID=$(curl -s -H "Authorization: Bearer $LINODE_API_KEY" https://api.linode.com/v4/linode/instances | jq '.data[] | select(.label == "'$LINODE_LABEL'") | .id' | sed -e "s/\"//g")
   echo "Instance IP: $INSTANCE_IP"
@@ -73,16 +97,10 @@ if [[ "$SCRIPT_ACTION" == "c" ]]; then
         }' \
     https://api.linode.com/v4/volumes/$VOLUME_ID/attach | jq .
 
-  # Give the volume a moment to appear on the instance before mounting it.
+  # Give the volume a moment to appear on the instance before the StackScript
+  # (which runs on first boot) mounts it.
   sleep 15
 
-  # SSH CONFIG BLOCK
-  ssh -o "StrictHostKeyChecking no" root@$INSTANCE_IP "mkdir -p $VOLUME_MOUNT"
-  ssh -o "StrictHostKeyChecking no" root@$INSTANCE_IP "mount $VOLUME_DEVICE $VOLUME_MOUNT"
-  # Mount on every boot, without duplicating the line on re-runs.
-  ssh -o "StrictHostKeyChecking no" root@$INSTANCE_IP "grep -q '$VOLUME_DEVICE' /etc/fstab || echo '$VOLUME_DEVICE $VOLUME_MOUNT ext4 defaults,noatime,nofail 0 2' >> /etc/fstab"
-  # END SSH CONFIG BLOCK
-
   echo "$(date -Iminutes) --- Id:$INSTANCE_ID --- IP:$INSTANCE_IP Summoned $LINODE_LABEL with volume $VOLUME_ID." >>$LOGFILE
   echo "Started with root pass $ROOT_PASS"
 
@@ -125,7 +143,7 @@ if [[ "$SCRIPT_ACTION" == "x" ]]; then
 
   if [[ "$REMOTE_ACTION" == "" ]]; then
     echo "Connecting: $INSTANCE_IP"
-    ssh root@$INSTANCE_IP
+    ssh -o "StrictHostKeyChecking no" root@$INSTANCE_IP
   fi
 
 fi
diff --git a/stackscript.md b/stackscript.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..33cd4e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stackscript.md
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# Valheim Volume StackScript
+
+A Linode StackScript that mounts the pre-existing Valheim volume on first boot.
+Running it as a StackScript means the mount happens as root during deployment,
+so no SSH session (and therefore no SSH key) is needed to configure it.
+
+This mirrors the steps in `voldirections.txt`. The filesystem (`mkfs.ext4`) is
+**not** created here, because that step has already been completed on the
+volume; the script only creates the mountpoint, mounts the device, and adds the
+`/etc/fstab` entry.
+
+## Instructions
+
+1. Log in to the Linode Cloud Manager and open **StackScripts**.
+2. Click **Create StackScript**.
+3. Set **Label** to something like `valheim-volume-mount` and choose
+   **Debian 13** (or "Any") as the **Target Images**.
+4. Paste the code block below into the **Script** editor.
+5. Leave the **UDF** (User Defined Fields) section empty — the values are
+   hard-coded, so nothing needs to be entered at deploy time.
+6. Click **Save**. The numeric ID of the StackScript appears in the URL and in
+   the StackScript list; copy it.
+7. Put that ID in `create-linode.sh` as the `STACKSCRIPT_ID` value near the top
+   of the file.
+
+After that, `create-linode.sh c <label>` passes the StackScript on the create
+call and the volume is mounted automatically on first boot.
+
+## StackScript
+
+```bash
+#!/bin/bash
+# Linode StackScript: mount the pre-existing Valheim volume on first boot.
+# Runs as root during deployment; no SSH access required.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# The volume already has an ext4 filesystem (see voldirections.txt), so only
+# the mountpoint, the mount, and the fstab entry are handled here.
+VOLUME_NAME="ValVol202609"
+VOLUME_DEVICE="/dev/disk/by-id/scsi-0Linode_Volume_${VOLUME_NAME}"
+VOLUME_MOUNT="/mnt/${VOLUME_NAME}"
+
+# The volume is attached by the API after deployment starts, so wait for the
+# device to show up before trying to mount it.
+for _ in $(seq 1 30); do
+  [ -e "$VOLUME_DEVICE" ] && break
+  sleep 5
+done
+
+if [ ! -e "$VOLUME_DEVICE" ]; then
+  echo "Volume device ${VOLUME_DEVICE} did not appear; skipping mount." >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+
+mkdir -p "$VOLUME_MOUNT"
+mount "$VOLUME_DEVICE" "$VOLUME_MOUNT"
+
+# Mount on every boot, without duplicating the line on re-runs.
+grep -q "$VOLUME_DEVICE" /etc/fstab || \
+  echo "${VOLUME_DEVICE} ${VOLUME_MOUNT} ext4 defaults,noatime,nofail 0 2" >> /etc/fstab
+
+echo "Mounted ${VOLUME_DEVICE} at ${VOLUME_MOUNT}."
+```
+