diff --git a/data/common/common.yaml b/data/common/common.yaml
--- a/data/common/common.yaml
+++ b/data/common/common.yaml
@@ -4227,19 +4227,33 @@
 
 borg::encryption: repokey-blake2
 
+swh::deploy::base_search::config_directory: "%{hiera('swh::conf_directory')}/search"
+swh::deploy::base_search::user: swhstorage
+swh::deploy::base_search::group: swhstorage
+
 swh::deploy::search::sentry_swh_package: swh.search
 swh::deploy::search::sentry_environment: "%{alias('swh::deploy::environment')}"
 swh::deploy::search::sentry_dsn: "https://%{lookup('swh::deploy::search::sentry_token')}@sentry.softwareheritage.org/15"
-swh::deploy::search::conf_directory: "%{hiera('swh::conf_directory')}"
-swh::deploy::search::conf_file: "%{hiera('swh::deploy::search::conf_directory')}/search.yml"
-swh::deploy::search::user: swhstorage
-swh::deploy::search::group: swhstorage
+swh::deploy::search::conf_file: "%{hiera('swh::deploy::base_search::config_directory')}/server.yml"
+swh::deploy::search::user: "%{alias('swh::deploy::base_search::user')}"
+swh::deploy::search::group: "%{alias('swh::deploy::base_search::group')}"
 swh::deploy::search::config:
   search:
     cls: elasticsearch
     args:
       hosts: "%{alias('swh::elasticsearch::nodes')}"
 
+swh::deploy::search_journal_client::config_file: "%{lookup('swh::deploy::base_search::config_directory')}/journal_client.yml"
+swh::deploy::search_journal_client::config:
+  search:
+    cls: elasticsearch
+    args:
+      hosts: "%{alias('swh::elasticsearch::nodes')}"
+  journal:
+    brokers: "%{alias('swh::deploy::journal::brokers')}"
+    group_id: swh.search.journal_client
+    prefix: "%{alias('swh::deploy::journal::prefix')}"
+
 swh::deploy::search::backend::listen::host: 127.0.0.1
 swh::deploy::search::backend::listen::port: "%{alias('swh::remote_service::search::port')}"
 swh::deploy::search::backend::workers: 4
diff --git a/manifests/site.pp b/manifests/site.pp
--- a/manifests/site.pp
+++ b/manifests/site.pp
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@
 }
 
 node /^search\d\.internal\.staging\.swh\.network$/ {
-  include role::swh_search
+  include role::swh_search_with_journal_client
 }
 
 node 'webapp.internal.staging.swh.network' {
diff --git a/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh/deploy/base_search.pp b/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh/deploy/base_search.pp
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh/deploy/base_search.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# Base class for search related manifests
+class profile::swh::deploy::base_search {
+  $config_directory = lookup('swh::deploy::base_search::config_directory')
+  $user = lookup('swh::deploy::base_search::user')
+  $group = lookup('swh::deploy::base_search::group')
+
+  file {$config_directory:
+    ensure => 'directory',
+    owner  => $user,
+    group  => $group,
+    mode   => '0755',
+  }
+
+  $packages = ['python3-swh.search']
+
+  package {$packages:
+    ensure => 'present',
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh/deploy/search.pp b/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh/deploy/search.pp
--- a/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh/deploy/search.pp
+++ b/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh/deploy/search.pp
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
 # Deployment of the swh.search.api server
 class profile::swh::deploy::search {
-  $packages = ['python3-swh.search']
+  include ::profile::swh::deploy::base_search
 
-  package {$packages:
-    ensure => 'present',
-  } ~> Service['gunicorn-swh-search']
+  Package['python3-swh.search'] ~> Service['gunicorn-swh-search']
 
   ::profile::swh::deploy::rpc_server {'search':
     executable => 'swh.search.api.server:make_app_from_configfile()',
diff --git a/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh/deploy/search_journal_client.pp b/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh/deploy/search_journal_client.pp
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/site-modules/profile/manifests/swh/deploy/search_journal_client.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# Deployment of the swh.search.journal_client
+class profile::swh::deploy::search_journal_client {
+  include ::profile::swh::deploy::base_search
+  include ::profile::swh::deploy::journal
+
+  $config_path = lookup('swh::deploy::search_journal_client::config_file')
+  $config = lookup('swh::deploy::search_journal_client::config')
+
+  $service_name = 'swh-search-journal-client'
+  $unit_name = "${service_name}.service"
+  $user = lookup('swh::deploy::base_search::user')
+  $group = lookup('swh::deploy::base_search::group')
+
+  Package['python3-swh.search'] ~> Service[$service_name]
+
+  file {$config_path:
+    ensure  => present,
+    owner   => 'root',
+    group   => 'swhdev',
+    mode    => '0644',
+    content => inline_template("<%= @config.to_yaml %>\n"),
+    notify  => Service[$service_name],
+  }
+
+  ::systemd::unit_file {$unit_name:
+    ensure  => present,
+    content => template("profile/swh/deploy/journal/${unit_name}.erb"),
+  } ~> service {$service_name:
+    ensure => running,
+    enable => true,
+  }
+}
diff --git a/site-modules/profile/templates/swh/deploy/journal/swh-search-journal-client.service.erb b/site-modules/profile/templates/swh/deploy/journal/swh-search-journal-client.service.erb
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/site-modules/profile/templates/swh/deploy/journal/swh-search-journal-client.service.erb
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Search Journal Client unit file
+# Managed by puppet class profile::swh::deploy::search_journal_client
+# Changes will be overwritten
+
+[Unit]
+Description=Software Heritage Search Journal Client
+After=network.target
+
+[Service]
+User=<%= @user %>
+Group=<%= @group %>
+Type=simple
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/swh search --config-file <%= @config_path %> journal-client objects
+Restart=always
+RestartSec=10
+
+[Install]
+WantedBy=multi-user.target
diff --git a/site-modules/role/manifests/swh_search.pp b/site-modules/role/manifests/swh_search.pp
deleted file mode 100644
--- a/site-modules/role/manifests/swh_search.pp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-class role::swh_search inherits role::swh_server {
-  include ::profile::swh::deploy::search
-}
diff --git a/site-modules/role/manifests/swh_search_with_journal_client.pp b/site-modules/role/manifests/swh_search_with_journal_client.pp
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/site-modules/role/manifests/swh_search_with_journal_client.pp
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+class role::swh_search_with_journal_client inherits role::swh_server {
+  include ::profile::swh::deploy::search
+  include profile::swh::deploy::search_journal_client
+}