diff --git a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 82186447..02a8b7fa 100644
--- a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@
                 <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
             </intent-filter>
         </activity>
+
+        <service
+            android:name=".ProfileService"
+            android:exported="false" />
     </application>
 
 </manifest>
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/wireguard/android/ProfileListActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/com/wireguard/android/ProfileListActivity.java
index afa8a123..9094efaf 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/wireguard/android/ProfileListActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/wireguard/android/ProfileListActivity.java
@@ -1,64 +1,57 @@
 package com.wireguard.android;
 
 import android.app.Activity;
+import android.content.ComponentName;
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.Intent;
+import android.content.ServiceConnection;
 import android.databinding.DataBindingUtil;
-import android.databinding.ObservableArrayList;
-import android.databinding.ObservableList;
-import android.os.AsyncTask;
 import android.os.Bundle;
-import android.util.Log;
+import android.os.IBinder;
 
 import com.wireguard.android.databinding.ProfileListActivityBinding;
-import com.wireguard.config.Profile;
-
-import java.io.File;
-import java.io.FileInputStream;
-import java.io.IOException;
-import java.util.ArrayList;
 
 public class ProfileListActivity extends Activity {
-    private final ObservableList<Profile> profiles = new ObservableArrayList<>();
+    private final ServiceConnection connection = new ProfileServiceConnection();
+    private ProfileListActivityBinding binding;
+    private ProfileServiceInterface service;
 
     @Override
     protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
-        final ProfileListActivityBinding binding =
-                DataBindingUtil.setContentView(this, R.layout.profile_list_activity);
-        binding.setProfiles(profiles);
-        new ProfileLoader().execute(getFilesDir().listFiles());
+        binding = DataBindingUtil.setContentView(this, R.layout.profile_list_activity);
+        // Ensure the long-running service is started. This only needs to happen once.
+        Intent intent = new Intent(this, ProfileService.class);
+        startService(intent);
     }
 
-    private class ProfileLoader extends AsyncTask<File, Profile, ArrayList<Profile>> {
-        private static final String TAG = "WGProfileLoader";
+    @Override
+    public void onStart() {
+        super.onStart();
+        Intent intent = new Intent(this, ProfileService.class);
+        bindService(intent, connection, Context.BIND_AUTO_CREATE);
+    }
 
+    @Override
+    public void onStop() {
+        super.onStop();
+        if (service != null) {
+            unbindService(connection);
+            service = null;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private class ProfileServiceConnection implements ServiceConnection {
         @Override
-        protected ArrayList<Profile> doInBackground(File... files) {
-            final ArrayList<Profile> loadedProfiles = new ArrayList<>();
-            for (File file : files) {
-                final String fileName = file.getName();
-                final int suffixStart = fileName.lastIndexOf(".conf");
-                if (suffixStart <= 0) {
-                    Log.w(TAG, "Ignoring stray file " + fileName);
-                    continue;
-                }
-                final Profile profile = new Profile(fileName.substring(0, suffixStart));
-                try {
-                    final FileInputStream inputStream = openFileInput(fileName);
-                    profile.fromStream(inputStream);
-                    loadedProfiles.add(profile);
-                } catch (IOException e) {
-                    Log.w(TAG, "Failed to load profile from " + fileName, e);
-                }
-                if (isCancelled())
-                    break;
-            }
-            return loadedProfiles;
+        public void onServiceConnected(ComponentName component, IBinder binder) {
+            service = (ProfileServiceInterface) binder;
+            binding.setProfiles(service.getProfiles());
         }
 
         @Override
-        protected void onPostExecute(ArrayList<Profile> loadedProfiles) {
-            // FIXME: This should replace an existing profile if the name matches.
-            profiles.addAll(loadedProfiles);
+        public void onServiceDisconnected(ComponentName component) {
+            // This function is only called when the service crashes or goes away unexpectedly.
+            service = null;
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/wireguard/android/ProfileService.java b/app/src/main/java/com/wireguard/android/ProfileService.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..172f230c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/wireguard/android/ProfileService.java
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package com.wireguard.android;
+
+import android.app.Service;
+import android.content.Intent;
+import android.databinding.ObservableArrayList;
+import android.databinding.ObservableList;
+import android.os.AsyncTask;
+import android.os.Binder;
+import android.os.IBinder;
+import android.util.Log;
+
+import com.wireguard.config.Profile;
+
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.LinkedList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+/**
+ * Service that handles profile state coordination and all background processing for the app.
+ */
+
+public class ProfileService extends Service {
+    private static final String TAG = "ProfileService";
+
+    private final IBinder binder = new ProfileServiceBinder();
+    private final ObservableList<Profile> profiles = new ObservableArrayList<>();
+
+    @Override
+    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
+        return binder;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void onCreate() {
+        new ProfileLoader().execute(getFilesDir().listFiles());
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
+        return START_STICKY;
+    }
+
+    private class ProfileLoader extends AsyncTask<File, Void, List<Profile>> {
+        @Override
+        protected List<Profile> doInBackground(File... files) {
+            final List<Profile> loadedProfiles = new LinkedList<>();
+            for (File file : files) {
+                final String fileName = file.getName();
+                final String profileName = fileName.substring(0, fileName.length() - 5);
+                final Profile profile = new Profile(profileName);
+                try {
+                    profile.parseFrom(openFileInput(fileName));
+                    loadedProfiles.add(profile);
+                } catch (IOException e) {
+                    Log.w(TAG, "Failed to load profile from " + fileName, e);
+                }
+                if (isCancelled())
+                    break;
+            }
+            return loadedProfiles;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        protected void onPostExecute(List<Profile> loadedProfiles) {
+            profiles.addAll(loadedProfiles);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private class ProfileServiceBinder extends Binder implements ProfileServiceInterface {
+        public ObservableList<Profile> getProfiles() {
+            return profiles;
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/wireguard/android/ProfileServiceInterface.java b/app/src/main/java/com/wireguard/android/ProfileServiceInterface.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6eb310ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/wireguard/android/ProfileServiceInterface.java
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+package com.wireguard.android;
+
+import android.databinding.ObservableList;
+
+import com.wireguard.config.Profile;
+
+/**
+ * Interface for the background connection service.
+ */
+
+public interface ProfileServiceInterface {
+    ObservableList<Profile> getProfiles();
+}