diff --git a/cmd/gonic/main.go b/cmd/gonic/main.go
index 0e38764..5475735 100644
--- a/cmd/gonic/main.go
+++ b/cmd/gonic/main.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"flag"
 	"log"
 	"os"
+	"time"
 
 	_ "github.com/jinzhu/gorm/dialects/sqlite"
 	"github.com/peterbourgon/ff"
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ func main() {
 	listenAddr := set.String("listen-addr", "0.0.0.0:6969", "listen address (optional)")
 	musicPath := set.String("music-path", "", "path to music")
 	dbPath := set.String("db-path", "gonic.db", "path to database (optional)")
+	scanInterval := set.Int("scan-interval", 0, "interval (in minutes) to automatically scan music (optional)")
 	_ = set.String("config-path", "", "path to config (optional)")
 	if err := ff.Parse(set, os.Args[1:],
 		ff.WithConfigFileFlag("config-path"),
@@ -38,11 +40,12 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("error opening database: %v\n", err)
 	}
 	defer db.Close()
-	s := server.New(
-		db,
-		*musicPath,
-		*listenAddr,
-	)
+	s := server.New(server.ServerOptions{
+		DB:           db,
+		MusicPath:    *musicPath,
+		ListenAddr:   *listenAddr,
+		ScanInterval: time.Duration(*scanInterval) * time.Minute,
+	})
 	if err = s.SetupAdmin(); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("error setting up admin routes: %v\n", err)
 	}
@@ -50,7 +53,7 @@ func main() {
 		log.Fatalf("error setting up subsonic routes: %v\n", err)
 	}
 	log.Printf("starting server at %s", *listenAddr)
-	if err := s.ListenAndServe(); err != nil {
+	if err := s.Start(); err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("error starting server: %v\n", err)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/server/ctrladmin/handlers.go b/server/ctrladmin/handlers.go
index 5023a3e..f7c71e5 100644
--- a/server/ctrladmin/handlers.go
+++ b/server/ctrladmin/handlers.go
@@ -250,10 +250,7 @@ func (c *Controller) ServeUpdateLastFMAPIKeyDo(r *http.Request) *Response {
 func (c *Controller) ServeStartScanDo(r *http.Request) *Response {
 	defer func() {
 		go func() {
-			err := scanner.
-				New(c.DB, c.MusicPath).
-				Start()
-			if err != nil {
+			if err := c.Scanner.Start(); err != nil {
 				log.Printf("error while scanning: %v\n", err)
 			}
 		}()
diff --git a/server/ctrlbase/ctrl.go b/server/ctrlbase/ctrl.go
index e560049..1b4feee 100644
--- a/server/ctrlbase/ctrl.go
+++ b/server/ctrlbase/ctrl.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 
 	"senan.xyz/g/gonic/db"
+	"senan.xyz/g/gonic/scanner"
 )
 
 type statusWriter struct {
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ func statusToBlock(code int) string {
 type Controller struct {
 	DB        *db.DB
 	MusicPath string
+	Scanner   *scanner.Scanner
 }
 
 func (c *Controller) WithLogging(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
diff --git a/server/ctrlsubsonic/handlers_common.go b/server/ctrlsubsonic/handlers_common.go
index 48ed49a..a9e0ba3 100644
--- a/server/ctrlsubsonic/handlers_common.go
+++ b/server/ctrlsubsonic/handlers_common.go
@@ -79,10 +79,7 @@ func (c *Controller) ServeGetMusicFolders(r *http.Request) *spec.Response {
 
 func (c *Controller) ServeStartScan(r *http.Request) *spec.Response {
 	go func() {
-		err := scanner.
-			New(c.DB, c.MusicPath).
-			Start()
-		if err != nil {
+		if err := c.Scanner.Start(); err != nil {
 			log.Printf("error while scanning: %v\n", err)
 		}
 	}()
diff --git a/server/ctrlsubsonic/testdata/db b/server/ctrlsubsonic/testdata/db
index ff3a467..a2ca51d 100644
Binary files a/server/ctrlsubsonic/testdata/db and b/server/ctrlsubsonic/testdata/db differ
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 7cc71aa..f7ed694 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package server
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"net/http"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
@@ -11,21 +12,31 @@ import (
 
 	"senan.xyz/g/gonic/assets"
 	"senan.xyz/g/gonic/db"
+	"senan.xyz/g/gonic/scanner"
 	"senan.xyz/g/gonic/server/ctrladmin"
 	"senan.xyz/g/gonic/server/ctrlbase"
 	"senan.xyz/g/gonic/server/ctrlsubsonic"
 )
 
-type Server struct {
-	*http.Server
-	router   *mux.Router
-	ctrlBase *ctrlbase.Controller
+type ServerOptions struct {
+	DB           *db.DB
+	MusicPath    string
+	ListenAddr   string
+	ScanInterval time.Duration
 }
 
-func New(db *db.DB, musicPath string, listenAddr string) *Server {
+type Server struct {
+	*http.Server
+	router       *mux.Router
+	ctrlBase     *ctrlbase.Controller
+	ScanInterval time.Duration
+}
+
+func New(opts ServerOptions) *Server {
 	ctrlBase := &ctrlbase.Controller{
-		DB:        db,
-		MusicPath: musicPath,
+		DB:        opts.DB,
+		MusicPath: opts.MusicPath,
+		Scanner:   scanner.New(opts.DB, opts.MusicPath),
 	}
 	router := mux.NewRouter()
 	router.HandleFunc("/", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
@@ -44,16 +55,17 @@ func New(db *db.DB, musicPath string, listenAddr string) *Server {
 	router.Use(ctrlBase.WithLogging)
 	router.Use(ctrlBase.WithCORS)
 	server := &http.Server{
-		Addr:         listenAddr,
+		Addr:         opts.ListenAddr,
 		Handler:      router,
 		ReadTimeout:  5 * time.Second,
 		WriteTimeout: 10 * time.Second,
 		IdleTimeout:  15 * time.Second,
 	}
 	return &Server{
-		Server:   server,
-		router:   router,
-		ctrlBase: ctrlBase,
+		Server:       server,
+		router:       router,
+		ctrlBase:     ctrlBase,
+		ScanInterval: opts.ScanInterval,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -134,3 +146,20 @@ func (s *Server) SetupSubsonic() error {
 	rout.Handle("/search2{_:(?:\\.view)?}", ctrl.H(ctrl.ServeSearchTwo))
 	return nil
 }
+
+func (s *Server) scanTick() {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(s.ScanInterval)
+	for range ticker.C {
+		if err := s.ctrlBase.Scanner.Start(); err != nil {
+			log.Printf("error while scanner: %v", err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (s *Server) Start() error {
+	if s.ScanInterval > 0 {
+		log.Printf("will be scanning at intervals of %s", s.ScanInterval)
+		go s.scanTick()
+	}
+	return s.ListenAndServe()
+}