diff --git a/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/files/refresh-crates.sh b/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/files/refresh-crates.sh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9672d724a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/files/refresh-crates.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -euxo pipefail
+
+cd /home/crates-io-downloader
+
+# Refresh crates.io index
+if [ -d crates.io-index ]; then
+    git -C crates.io-index pull --force
+else
+    git clone https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index.git
+fi
+
+# Re-fetch latest copies of crates into ./all-crates.
+# This will automatically skip downloading existing crates.
+./.cargo/bin/get-all-crates --index ./crates.io-index --out /var/cache/all-crates
diff --git a/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/tasks/crates-io.yml b/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/tasks/crates-io.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0a516a78f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/tasks/crates-io.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+---
+
+- name: Set up user for crates.io downloads
+  user:
+    name: crates-io-downloader
+    state: present
+
+- name: Install Rust for crates-io-downloader
+  shell: "curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh -s -- -y"
+  become_user: crates-io-downloader
+
+- name: Install get-all-crates
+  shell: "PATH=$PATH:$HOME/.cargo/bin cargo install get-all-crates --version 0.1.22 --locked"
+  become_user: crates-io-downloader
+
+- name: Set up get-all-crates systemd service
+  template:
+    src: get-all-crates.service.j2
+    dest: /etc/systemd/system/get-all-crates.service
+    mode: 0644
+  register: get_all_crates_service
+
+- name: Set up get-all-crates systemd timer
+  template:
+    src: get-all-crates.timer.j2
+    dest: /etc/systemd/system/get-all-crates.timer
+    mode: 0644
+  register: get_all_crates_timer
+
+- name: reload systemd
+  systemd:
+    daemon_reload: true
+  when: get_all_crates_timer is changed or get_all_crates_service is changed
+
+- name: setup all-crates directory
+  file:
+    path: /var/cache/all-crates
+    state: directory
+    owner: crates-io-downloader
+    group: crates-io-downloader
+    mode: 0755
+
+- name: Set up get-all-crates script
+  copy:
+    src: files/refresh-crates.sh
+    dest: /home/crates-io-downloader/refresh-crates.sh
+    owner: crates-io-downloader
+    mode: u+x
diff --git a/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/tasks/main.yml b/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/tasks/main.yml
index 713b5c72f..663bb3f0f 100644
--- a/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 ---
 
+- include_tasks: crates-io.yml
 - include_tasks: cloud_provider.yml
 - include_tasks: oom.yml
 - include_tasks: dependencies.yml
diff --git a/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/templates/get-all-crates.service.j2 b/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/templates/get-all-crates.service.j2
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2ff9d18f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/templates/get-all-crates.service.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Refresh crates.io export
+
+[Service]
+Type=oneshot
+User=crates-io-downloader
+ExecStart=/home/crates-io-downloader/refresh-crates.sh
+MemoryMax=80%
diff --git a/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/templates/get-all-crates.timer.j2 b/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/templates/get-all-crates.timer.j2
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1d3a9cc25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ansible/roles/dev-desktop/templates/get-all-crates.timer.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[Unit]
+Description=Refresh crates.io export timer
+
+[Timer]
+OnCalendar=daily
+RandomizedDelaySec=3600
+
+[Install]
+#WantedBy=timers.target