diff --git a/lib/protobuf.rb b/lib/protobuf.rb
index c6040fd4..3e269dc0 100644
--- a/lib/protobuf.rb
+++ b/lib/protobuf.rb
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@
 require 'protobuf/message'
 require 'protobuf/descriptors'
 
+require 'protobuf/railtie' if defined?(::Rails::Railtie)
+
 module Protobuf
 
   class << self
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@ def self.ignore_unknown_fields=(value)
 unless ENV.key?('PB_NO_NETWORKING')
   require 'protobuf/rpc/client'
   require 'protobuf/rpc/service'
+  require 'protobuf/rpc/application_service'
 
   env_connector_type = ENV.fetch('PB_CLIENT_TYPE') do
     :socket
diff --git a/lib/protobuf/railtie.rb b/lib/protobuf/railtie.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b3659989
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/protobuf/railtie.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+require 'rails/railtie'
+require 'protobuf/service_loader'
+
+module Protobuf
+  class Railtie < ::Rails::Railtie
+    config.protobuf = ::ActiveSupport::OrderedOptions.new
+    config.protobuf.services_path = nil
+
+    initializer 'protobuf.configure_autoload', :before => :set_autoload_paths do |app|
+      path = ::Protobuf::Railtie.services_path(app)
+      if path && ::File.directory?(path)
+        app.config.autoload_paths.delete(path)
+        app.config.autoload_once_paths.delete(path)
+        app.config.eager_load_paths.delete(path)
+      end
+    end
+
+    config.to_prepare do
+      ::Protobuf::ServiceLoader.load_services(
+        ::Protobuf::Railtie.services_path(::Rails.application),
+      )
+    end
+
+    def self.services_path(app)
+      configured = app.config.protobuf.services_path
+      configured ? configured.to_s : ::File.join(app.root.to_s, 'app', 'services')
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/protobuf/rpc/application_service.rb b/lib/protobuf/rpc/application_service.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..500d91c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/protobuf/rpc/application_service.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+require 'protobuf/rpc/service'
+
+module Protobuf
+  module Rpc
+    # Base class application services should inherit from. Mirrors the
+    # `ApplicationController` pattern: a stable seam for shared filters,
+    # callbacks, and helpers that belong to the host app rather than the gem.
+    class ApplicationService < Service
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/protobuf/rpc/service.rb b/lib/protobuf/rpc/service.rb
index cc1974ad..7027532d 100644
--- a/lib/protobuf/rpc/service.rb
+++ b/lib/protobuf/rpc/service.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+require 'active_support/core_ext/class/subclasses'
 require 'protobuf/logging'
 require 'protobuf/message'
 require 'protobuf/rpc/client'
@@ -65,9 +66,11 @@ class << self
       end
 
       # An array of defined service classes that contain implementation
-      # code
+      # code. Walks the full descendant tree so intermediate parents
+      # (e.g. ApplicationService) don't hide the real services from
+      # discovery.
       def self.implemented_services
-        classes = (subclasses || []).select do |subclass|
+        classes = descendants.select do |subclass|
           subclass.rpcs.any? do |(name, _)|
             subclass.method_defined? name
           end
diff --git a/lib/protobuf/service_loader.rb b/lib/protobuf/service_loader.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..818ef797
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/protobuf/service_loader.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+module Protobuf
+  # Loads service classes from a directory tree so that
+  # `Protobuf::Rpc::Service.subclasses` is populated before the RPC server
+  # asks for `implemented_services`. Needed because Zeitwerk autoloading is
+  # lazy and `subclasses` only returns classes that have been loaded.
+  module ServiceLoader
+    DEFAULT_GLOB = '**/*_service.rb'.freeze
+
+    def self.load_services(path, glob = DEFAULT_GLOB)
+      return [] if path.nil?
+      dir = path.to_s
+      return [] unless ::File.directory?(dir)
+
+      ::Dir.glob(::File.join(dir, glob)).sort.each do |file|
+        load file
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/lib/protobuf/rpc/application_service_spec.rb b/spec/lib/protobuf/rpc/application_service_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..60187913
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/protobuf/rpc/application_service_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+require SUPPORT_PATH.join('resource_service')
+
+RSpec.describe Protobuf::Rpc::ApplicationService do
+  it 'is a subclass of Protobuf::Rpc::Service' do
+    expect(described_class.ancestors).to include(Protobuf::Rpc::Service)
+  end
+
+  it 'inherits Service class methods (host, port, configure)' do
+    expect(described_class).to respond_to(:host, :port, :configure, :rpc, :rpcs)
+  end
+
+  describe 'integration with implemented_services' do
+    let!(:app_subclass) do
+      Class.new(described_class) do
+        def self.name; 'ImplementedAppSubclassService'; end
+        rpc :find, Test::ResourceFindRequest, Test::Resource
+        def find; end
+      end
+    end
+
+    let!(:abstract_subclass) do
+      Class.new(described_class) do
+        def self.name; 'AbstractAppSubclassService'; end
+        rpc :find, Test::ResourceFindRequest, Test::Resource
+        # no #find method defined -> not "implemented"
+      end
+    end
+
+    after do
+      # `descendants` walks the live class tree; remove anonymous classes
+      # so they don't leak into other specs.
+      ObjectSpace.garbage_collect
+    end
+
+    it 'is discovered by Service.implemented_services (descendants traversal)' do
+      names = Protobuf::Rpc::Service.implemented_services
+      expect(names).to include('ImplementedAppSubclassService')
+    end
+
+    it 'omits subclasses with no implemented rpc methods' do
+      names = Protobuf::Rpc::Service.implemented_services
+      expect(names).not_to include('AbstractAppSubclassService')
+    end
+
+    it 'does not list the ApplicationService base itself' do
+      names = Protobuf::Rpc::Service.implemented_services
+      expect(names).not_to include(described_class.name)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/lib/protobuf/service_loader_spec.rb b/spec/lib/protobuf/service_loader_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..52524cae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/protobuf/service_loader_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+require 'tmpdir'
+require 'fileutils'
+require 'protobuf/service_loader'
+
+RSpec.describe Protobuf::ServiceLoader do
+  describe '.load_services' do
+    around do |example|
+      Dir.mktmpdir do |dir|
+        @services_dir = dir
+        example.run
+      end
+    end
+
+    let(:tracker) { [] }
+
+    before do
+      # Expose the tracker globally so files loaded via `load` can reach it.
+      $service_loader_spec_tracker = tracker
+    end
+
+    after do
+      $service_loader_spec_tracker = nil
+    end
+
+    def write_service(relative_path, marker)
+      full = File.join(@services_dir, relative_path)
+      FileUtils.mkdir_p(File.dirname(full))
+      File.write(full, "$service_loader_spec_tracker << #{marker.inspect}\n")
+      full
+    end
+
+    it 'returns an empty array when path is nil' do
+      expect(described_class.load_services(nil)).to eq([])
+    end
+
+    it 'returns an empty array when directory does not exist' do
+      expect(described_class.load_services('/no/such/dir/here')).to eq([])
+    end
+
+    it 'loads every *_service.rb file under the path' do
+      write_service('foo_service.rb', 'foo')
+      write_service('nested/bar_service.rb', 'bar')
+      write_service('ignore_me.rb', 'nope')
+
+      described_class.load_services(@services_dir)
+
+      expect(tracker).to contain_exactly('foo', 'bar')
+    end
+
+    it 'loads files in deterministic (sorted) order' do
+      write_service('b_service.rb', 'b')
+      write_service('a_service.rb', 'a')
+      write_service('c_service.rb', 'c')
+
+      described_class.load_services(@services_dir)
+
+      expect(tracker).to eq(%w(a b c))
+    end
+
+    it 're-executes files on subsequent calls (Rails to_prepare reload semantics)' do
+      write_service('reload_service.rb', 'one')
+
+      described_class.load_services(@services_dir)
+      described_class.load_services(@services_dir)
+
+      expect(tracker).to eq(%w(one one))
+    end
+
+    it 'accepts a Pathname for the path' do
+      write_service('path_service.rb', 'path')
+
+      described_class.load_services(Pathname.new(@services_dir))
+
+      expect(tracker).to eq(['path'])
+    end
+
+    it 'honors a custom glob' do
+      write_service('foo_handler.rb', 'handler')
+      write_service('bar_service.rb', 'service')
+
+      described_class.load_services(@services_dir, '**/*_handler.rb')
+
+      expect(tracker).to eq(['handler'])
+    end
+  end
+end