diff --git a/ansible/playbooks/indri.yml b/ansible/playbooks/indri.yml
index 0af92ec..8e750c2 100644
--- a/ansible/playbooks/indri.yml
+++ b/ansible/playbooks/indri.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
       tags: prometheus
     - role: grafana
       tags: grafana
+    - role: transmission
+      tags: transmission
     - role: kiwix
       tags: kiwix
     - role: borgmatic
diff --git a/ansible/roles/kiwix/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/kiwix/defaults/main.yml
index a228b2e..c88fd16 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/kiwix/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/kiwix/defaults/main.yml
@@ -4,8 +4,14 @@ kiwix_zim_dir: /Users/erichblume/code/3rd/kiwix-tools
 kiwix_port: 5501
 kiwix_log_dir: /Users/erichblume/Library/Logs
 
+# Transmission integration
+# When enabled, ZIM archives are downloaded via BitTorrent instead of direct HTTP
+kiwix_use_transmission: true
+kiwix_torrent_base_url: "https://download.kiwix.org/zim"
+
 # ZIM archives to download and serve
-# Base URL: https://download.kiwix.org/zim/
+# Each item needs: category, filename
+# Torrent URL: {{ kiwix_torrent_base_url }}/{{ category }}/{{ filename }}.torrent
 kiwix_zim_archives:
   # Wikipedia - Top 1M articles with images (43G)
   - category: wikipedia
diff --git a/ansible/roles/kiwix/meta/main.yml b/ansible/roles/kiwix/meta/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..32004b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/kiwix/meta/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+dependencies:
+  - role: transmission
diff --git a/ansible/roles/kiwix/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/roles/kiwix/tasks/main.yml
index 6981408..b1637f4 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/kiwix/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/kiwix/tasks/main.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,135 @@
     state: directory
     mode: '0755'
 
-- name: Check which ZIM archives exist
+# --- Transmission-based download logic ---
+- name: Check transmission daemon is responding
+  ansible.builtin.command: transmission-remote -l
+  register: transmission_check
+  changed_when: false
+  failed_when: false
+  when: kiwix_use_transmission
+
+- name: Fail if transmission is not running
+  ansible.builtin.fail:
+    msg: "Transmission daemon is not responding. Ensure transmission role ran successfully."
+  when: kiwix_use_transmission and transmission_check.rc != 0
+
+# Check if each torrent is already loaded in transmission
+- name: Check torrent status for each ZIM archive
+  ansible.builtin.shell: |
+    # Look for the torrent by filename (name column in transmission-remote -l)
+    # Output: "not_found", "downloading XX%", or "complete"
+    torrent_line=$(transmission-remote -l | grep -F "{{ item.filename | regex_replace('\\.zim$', '') }}" || true)
+    if [ -z "$torrent_line" ]; then
+      echo "not_found"
+    else
+      # Extract percentage from the Done column (2nd column)
+      pct=$(echo "$torrent_line" | awk '{print $2}')
+      if [ "$pct" = "100%" ]; then
+        echo "complete"
+      else
+        echo "downloading $pct"
+      fi
+    fi
+  args:
+    executable: /bin/bash
+  loop: "{{ kiwix_zim_archives }}"
+  loop_control:
+    label: "{{ item.filename }}"
+  register: torrent_status
+  changed_when: false
+  when: kiwix_use_transmission
+
+# Add torrents that are not yet loaded
+- name: Add missing torrents to transmission
+  ansible.builtin.command: >
+    transmission-remote -a "{{ kiwix_torrent_base_url }}/{{ item.item.category }}/{{ item.item.filename }}.torrent"
+  loop: "{{ torrent_status.results | default([]) }}"
+  loop_control:
+    label: "{{ item.item.filename }}"
+  when:
+    - kiwix_use_transmission
+    - item.stdout is defined
+    - item.stdout == "not_found"
+  register: torrent_add
+  changed_when: torrent_add.rc == 0
+
+# Wait briefly and recheck status for newly added torrents
+- name: Wait for transmission to register new torrents
+  ansible.builtin.pause:
+    seconds: 5
+  when:
+    - kiwix_use_transmission
+    - torrent_add.changed is defined
+    - torrent_add.changed
+
+# Recheck all torrent statuses
+- name: Recheck torrent status after adding
+  ansible.builtin.shell: |
+    torrent_line=$(transmission-remote -l | grep -F "{{ item.filename | regex_replace('\\.zim$', '') }}" || true)
+    if [ -z "$torrent_line" ]; then
+      echo "not_found"
+    else
+      pct=$(echo "$torrent_line" | awk '{print $2}')
+      if [ "$pct" = "100%" ]; then
+        echo "complete"
+      else
+        echo "downloading $pct"
+      fi
+    fi
+  args:
+    executable: /bin/bash
+  loop: "{{ kiwix_zim_archives }}"
+  loop_control:
+    label: "{{ item.filename }}"
+  register: torrent_status_final
+  changed_when: false
+  when: kiwix_use_transmission
+
+# Check if symlink already exists for completed downloads
+- name: Check if ZIM symlink exists
+  ansible.builtin.stat:
+    path: "{{ kiwix_zim_dir }}/{{ item.item.filename }}"
+    get_checksum: false
+  loop: "{{ torrent_status_final.results | default([]) }}"
+  loop_control:
+    label: "{{ item.item.filename }}"
+  register: zim_symlink_stat
+  when:
+    - kiwix_use_transmission
+    - item.stdout is defined
+    - item.stdout == "complete"
+
+# Create symlinks for completed downloads
+- name: Symlink completed ZIM downloads to kiwix directory
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    src: "{{ transmission_download_dir }}/{{ item.item.item.filename }}"
+    dest: "{{ kiwix_zim_dir }}/{{ item.item.item.filename }}"
+    state: link
+  loop: "{{ zim_symlink_stat.results | default([]) }}"
+  loop_control:
+    label: "{{ item.item.item.filename | default('unknown') }}"
+  when:
+    - kiwix_use_transmission
+    - item.stat is defined
+    - not item.stat.exists
+  notify: restart kiwix-serve
+
+# Report on incomplete downloads (informational, no failure)
+- name: Report incomplete torrent downloads
+  ansible.builtin.debug:
+    msg: "Torrent still downloading: {{ item.item.filename }} ({{ item.stdout }})"
+  loop: "{{ torrent_status_final.results | default([]) }}"
+  loop_control:
+    label: "{{ item.item.filename }}"
+  when:
+    - kiwix_use_transmission
+    - item.stdout is defined
+    - item.stdout != "complete"
+    - item.stdout != "not_found"
+
+# --- Fallback: Direct HTTP download (original behavior) ---
+- name: Check which ZIM archives exist (direct download mode)
   ansible.builtin.stat:
     path: "{{ kiwix_zim_dir }}/{{ item.filename }}"
     get_checksum: false
@@ -13,19 +141,24 @@
   loop_control:
     label: "{{ item.filename }}"
   register: zim_stat
+  when: not kiwix_use_transmission
 
-- name: Download missing ZIM archives
+- name: Download missing ZIM archives (direct download mode)
   ansible.builtin.get_url:
     url: "https://download.kiwix.org/zim/{{ item.item.category }}/{{ item.item.filename }}"
     dest: "{{ kiwix_zim_dir }}/{{ item.item.filename }}"
     mode: '0644'
     timeout: 3600
-  loop: "{{ zim_stat.results }}"
+  loop: "{{ zim_stat.results | default([]) }}"
   loop_control:
-    label: "{{ item.item.filename }}"
-  when: not item.stat.exists
+    label: "{{ item.item.filename | default('unknown') }}"
+  when:
+    - not kiwix_use_transmission
+    - item.stat is defined
+    - not item.stat.exists
   notify: restart kiwix-serve
 
+# --- LaunchAgent deployment ---
 - name: Deploy kiwix-serve LaunchAgent plist
   ansible.builtin.template:
     src: kiwix-serve.plist.j2
diff --git a/ansible/roles/transmission/defaults/main.yml b/ansible/roles/transmission/defaults/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1c6d83c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/transmission/defaults/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+# Transmission download directories
+transmission_download_dir: /Users/erichblume/transmission
+transmission_incomplete_dir: /Users/erichblume/transmission/.incomplete
+transmission_config_dir: /Users/erichblume/.config/transmission-daemon
+
+# RPC settings (local only - no authentication needed)
+transmission_rpc_enabled: true
+transmission_rpc_port: 9091
+transmission_rpc_bind_address: "127.0.0.1"
+transmission_rpc_authentication_required: false
+transmission_rpc_whitelist_enabled: true
+transmission_rpc_whitelist: "127.0.0.1"
+
+# Speed limits (KB/s, 0 = unlimited)
+transmission_speed_limit_down: 0
+transmission_speed_limit_up: 100
+
+# P2P settings
+transmission_dht_enabled: true
+transmission_pex_enabled: true
+transmission_encryption: 1  # 0=prefer unencrypted, 1=prefer encrypted, 2=require encrypted
diff --git a/ansible/roles/transmission/handlers/main.yml b/ansible/roles/transmission/handlers/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d2c0d1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/transmission/handlers/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+---
+- name: restart transmission
+  ansible.builtin.command: brew services restart transmission-cli
diff --git a/ansible/roles/transmission/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/roles/transmission/tasks/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f4e7da3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/transmission/tasks/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+---
+- name: Install transmission-cli via homebrew
+  community.general.homebrew:
+    name: transmission-cli
+    state: present
+
+- name: Ensure transmission download directory exists
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    path: "{{ transmission_download_dir }}"
+    state: directory
+    mode: '0755'
+
+- name: Ensure transmission incomplete directory exists
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    path: "{{ transmission_incomplete_dir }}"
+    state: directory
+    mode: '0755'
+
+- name: Ensure transmission config directory exists
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    path: "{{ transmission_config_dir }}"
+    state: directory
+    mode: '0755'
+
+- name: Stop transmission before config changes
+  ansible.builtin.command: brew services stop transmission-cli
+  register: brew_stop
+  changed_when: false
+  failed_when: false
+
+- name: Deploy transmission settings.json
+  ansible.builtin.template:
+    src: settings.json.j2
+    dest: "{{ transmission_config_dir }}/settings.json"
+    mode: '0644'
+  notify: restart transmission
+
+- name: Ensure transmission service is started
+  ansible.builtin.command: brew services start transmission-cli
+  register: brew_start
+  changed_when: "'Successfully started' in brew_start.stdout"
+  failed_when: false
diff --git a/ansible/roles/transmission/templates/settings.json.j2 b/ansible/roles/transmission/templates/settings.json.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6875415
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/transmission/templates/settings.json.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+{
+    "_comment": "{{ ansible_managed }}",
+    "download-dir": "{{ transmission_download_dir }}",
+    "incomplete-dir": "{{ transmission_incomplete_dir }}",
+    "incomplete-dir-enabled": true,
+    "dht-enabled": {{ transmission_dht_enabled | lower }},
+    "pex-enabled": {{ transmission_pex_enabled | lower }},
+    "encryption": {{ transmission_encryption }},
+    "rpc-enabled": {{ transmission_rpc_enabled | lower }},
+    "rpc-port": {{ transmission_rpc_port }},
+    "rpc-bind-address": "{{ transmission_rpc_bind_address }}",
+    "rpc-authentication-required": {{ transmission_rpc_authentication_required | lower }},
+    "rpc-whitelist-enabled": {{ transmission_rpc_whitelist_enabled | lower }},
+    "rpc-whitelist": "{{ transmission_rpc_whitelist }}",
+    "speed-limit-down": {{ transmission_speed_limit_down }},
+    "speed-limit-down-enabled": {{ (transmission_speed_limit_down > 0) | lower }},
+    "speed-limit-up": {{ transmission_speed_limit_up }},
+    "speed-limit-up-enabled": {{ (transmission_speed_limit_up > 0) | lower }},
+    "start-added-torrents": true,
+    "trash-original-torrent-files": false
+}