diff --git a/commands.py b/commands.py
index 9f257c2..e47242e 100644
--- a/commands.py
+++ b/commands.py
@@ -568,6 +568,38 @@ def _gh_option(words: list[str], flag: str, short: str = "", boolean: bool = Fal
     return value.lower()
 
 
+def _starts_automatically(prog: str, lower: list[str]) -> str | None:
+    """Changes that schedule work after this command has finished."""
+    if prog == "schtasks":
+        action = next((w for w in lower[1:] if w in
+                       ("/create", "/query", "/change", "/delete", "/run", "/end", "/showsid")), None)
+        if action == "/create":
+            return "creates a scheduled task that can run after this session (schtasks /create)"
+    if prog == "register-scheduledtask":
+        return "registers a task that can run after this session (Register-ScheduledTask)"
+    if (prog == "reg" and lower[1:2] == ["add"]) or prog in ("new-itemproperty", "set-itemproperty"):
+        if any(re.search(r"(?:^|\\)currentversion\\run(?:once)?$", w.rstrip("\\")) for w in lower[1:]):
+            return "adds a Windows Run key value that starts a program at login"
+    if prog == "systemctl":
+        args = iter(lower[1:])
+        for word in args:
+            if word in ("-h", "--host", "-m", "--machine", "--root", "--image"):
+                next(args, None)
+                continue
+            if word.startswith("-"):
+                continue
+            if word == "enable":
+                return "enables a service to start automatically (systemctl enable)"
+            break
+    if prog == "launchctl" and lower[1:2] == ["load"]:
+        return "loads a launch agent or daemon that can run after this session (launchctl load)"
+    if prog == "crontab" and "-l" not in lower and "-r" not in lower:
+        if "-e" in lower or "-" in lower[1:] or _positional(lower):
+            return "installs or edits scheduled commands that will run later (crontab)"
+    return None
+
+
+
 def classify(words: list[str], raw: str = "", depth: int = 0) -> tuple[list[Command], list[str]]:
     """One simple command (already split into words). -> (commands, hidden-reasons)."""
     words = words[1:] if words[:1] == ["{"] else words       # a group, `{ curl URL > x.sh; } && bash x.sh`
@@ -853,6 +885,9 @@ def classify(words: list[str], raw: str = "", depth: int = 0) -> tuple[list[Comm
     if prog == "crontab" and "-r" in lower:
         cmd.kind, cmd.why = "irreversible", "deletes every scheduled job (crontab -r)"
         return [cmd], []
+    if (why := _starts_automatically(prog, lower)):
+        cmd.kind, cmd.why = "irreversible", why
+        return [cmd], []
     if prog == "truncate" or prog in ("clear-content", "clc") or (prog == "mv" and any(w in ("/dev/null", "nul") for w in lower[1:])) \
             or (prog == "cp" and lower[1:2] == ["/dev/null"] and len(_positional(words)) == 2):
         cmd.kind, cmd.why = "irreversible", f"empties or discards files ({' '.join(words[:3])})"
diff --git a/tests/test_commands.py b/tests/test_commands.py
index 3a87f2e..9995665 100644
--- a/tests/test_commands.py
+++ b/tests/test_commands.py
@@ -392,3 +392,49 @@ def test_gh_harmless_lookalikes_keep_existing_classification(line):
 ])
 def test_gh_irreversible_reasons_describe_the_operation(line, reason):
     assert reason in commands.read(line).summary()
+
+
+# These are inert command-reader inputs. No task, registry change or service is executed.
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("line", [
+    r"schtasks /create /sc onlogon /tn updater /tr C:\Users\me\x.exe",
+    r"SCHTASKS.EXE /Create /SC DAILY /TN example /TR C:\example.exe",
+    "Register-ScheduledTask -TaskName updater -Action $a -Trigger $t",
+    r"reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run /v updater /d x.exe",
+    r'reg add "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce" /v test /d x.exe',
+    r"New-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run -Name updater -Value x.exe",
+    r'Set-ItemProperty -LiteralPath "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" -Name updater -Value x.exe',
+    "systemctl enable --now example.service",
+    "sudo systemctl --user enable example.service",
+    "systemctl --host example.invalid enable example.service",
+    "launchctl load -w ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.example.plist",
+    "crontab -",
+    "crontab schedule.txt",
+    "crontab -e",
+    '(crontab -l; echo "@reboot echo example") | crontab -',
+])
+def test_startup_changes_wait_for_a_person(line):
+    reading = commands.read(line)
+    assert reading.kind == "irreversible", reading.summary()
+    assert reading.summary()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("line", [
+    "schtasks /query",
+    "schtasks /query /tn enable",
+    "systemctl status nginx",
+    "systemctl status enable",
+    "systemctl --user status nginx",
+    "launchctl list",
+    "launchctl print system/com.example",
+    "crontab -l",
+    "crontab -u root -l",
+    "Get-ScheduledTask",
+    r"reg query HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run",
+    r"Get-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run",
+    r"reg add HKCU\Software\Example\Settings /v mode /d default",
+    r"New-ItemProperty -Path HKCU:\Software\Example\RunHistory -Name test -Value example",
+    "echo systemctl enable example.service",
+])
+def test_startup_queries_and_lookalikes_are_not_persistence_changes(line):
+    reading = commands.read(line)
+    assert reading.kind in ("read_only", "other"), reading.summary()