diff --git a/roles/synapse/README.md b/roles/synapse/README.md
index ced5eb0..054bc56 100644
--- a/roles/synapse/README.md
+++ b/roles/synapse/README.md
@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@ The following variables need to be populated:
 
 ## Deployment methods
 
-### Docker
+- `docker`
+- `podman`
 
-Set `synapse_deployment_method: docker` to deploy synapse in docker container(s).
-This is currently the default.
+Set `synapse_deployment_method` to one of the supported deployment methods.
+The current default is `docker`.
 
-### Planned methods
+### Planned deployment methods
 
-- virtual env + systemd
-- podman
+- `venv` - Python virtual env supervised with `systemd`
diff --git a/roles/synapse/defaults/main/container.yml b/roles/synapse/defaults/main/container.yml
index c5b4e6d..f17c2e0 100644
--- a/roles/synapse/defaults/main/container.yml
+++ b/roles/synapse/defaults/main/container.yml
@@ -18,10 +18,14 @@ synapse_container_image_repository: >-2
 synapse_container_image_source: pull
 synapse_container_image_tag: ~
 synapse_container_env: {}
-synapse_container_user: >-
+synapse_container_user: >-2
   {{ ((synapse_user_info is defined) and ('uid' in synapse_user_info))
   | ternary(synapse_user_info.uid, synapse_user) }}
-synapse_container_group: ~
+synapse_container_group: >-2
+  {{ ((synapse_user_info is defined) and ('group' in synapse_user_info))
+  | ternary(synapse_user_info.group, synapse_user) }}
+synapse_container_groups:
+  - "{{ synapse_container_group }}"
 synapse_container_ports: ~
 synapse_container_labels: ~
 synapse_container_ulimits: ~
@@ -32,8 +36,14 @@ synapse_container_etc_hosts: ~
 synapse_container_memory: ~
 synapse_container_memory_reservation: ~
 synapse_container_memory_swap: ~
-synapse_container_state: "started"
-synapse_container_restart_policy: "unless-stopped"
+synapse_container_state: >-2
+  {{ (synapse_state == 'present')
+  | ternary('started', 'absent') }}
+synapse_container_restart_policy: >-2
+  {{ (synapse_deployment_method == 'docker')
+    | ternary('unless-stopped', ((synapse_deployment_method == 'podman')
+      | ternary('on-failure', 'always')))
+  }}
 
 synapse_container_volumes: ~
 synapse_container_default_volumes:
diff --git a/roles/synapse/tasks/deploy-podman.yml b/roles/synapse/tasks/deploy-podman.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6619a61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/synapse/tasks/deploy-podman.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+---
+- name: Ensure container image '{{ synapse_container_image }}' is {{ synapse_state }} on host
+  containers.podman.podman_image:
+    name: "{{ synapse_container_image }}"
+    state: "{{ synapse_state }}"
+    pull: "{{ synapse_container_image_source == 'pull' }}"
+    force: "{{ synapse_container_image_tag | default(false, true) | bool }}"
+  register: synapse_container_image_info
+  until: synapse_container_image_info is success
+  retries: 5
+  delay: 3
+
+- name: Ensure synapse container '{{ synapse_container_name }}' is {{ synapse_container_state }}
+  containers.podman.podmain_container:
+    name: "{{ synapse_container_name }}"
+    image: "{{ synapse_container_image }}"
+    env: "{{ synapse_container_env | default(omit, true) }}"
+    user: "{{ synapse_container_user | default(omit, true) }}"
+    groups: "{{ synapse_container_groups | default(omit, true) }}"
+    ports: "{{ synapse_container_ports | default(omit, true) }}"
+    labels: "{{ synapse_container_labels | default(omit, true) }}"
+    ulimits: "{{ synapse_container_ulimits | default(omit, true) }}"
+    volumes: "{{ synapse_container_all_volumes }}"
+    network: "{{ synapse_container_networks | default(omit, true) }}"
+    dns_servers: "{{ synapse_container_dns_servers | default(omit, true) }}"
+    etc_hosts: "{{ synapse_container_etc_hosts | default(omit, true) }}"
+    memory: "{{ synapse_container_memory | default(omit, true) }}"
+    memory_reservation: "{{ synapse_container_memory_reservation | default(omit, true) }}"
+    memory_swap: "{{ synapse_container_memory_swap | default(omit, true) }}"
+    restart_policy: "{{ synapse_container_restart_policy }}"
+    state: "{{ synapse_container_state }}"
diff --git a/roles/synapse/vars/main.yml b/roles/synapse/vars/main.yml
index 00fe1c8..ff16b4a 100644
--- a/roles/synapse/vars/main.yml
+++ b/roles/synapse/vars/main.yml
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ synapse_states:
 
 synapse_deployment_methods:
   - docker
+  - podman
 
 synapse_required_variables:
   - synapse_domain