diff --git a/roles/docker/files/docker-cleanup.service b/roles/docker/files/docker-cleanup.service
deleted file mode 100644
index c3a4806..0000000
--- a/roles/docker/files/docker-cleanup.service
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-[Unit]
-Description=cleanup unused docker data
-After=network-online.target docker.service
-Wants=network-online.target docker.service
-
-[Service]
-Type=oneshot
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/docker system prune --all --force
diff --git a/roles/docker/files/docker-cleanup.timer b/roles/docker/files/docker-cleanup.timer
deleted file mode 100644
index 7acbb9d..0000000
--- a/roles/docker/files/docker-cleanup.timer
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-[Unit]
-Description=cleanup unused docker data every day
-
-[Timer]
-OnCalendar=daily
-RandomizedDelaySec=1h
-
-[Install]
-WantedBy=timers.target
diff --git a/roles/docker/handlers/main.yaml b/roles/docker/handlers/main.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ada2426..0000000
--- a/roles/docker/handlers/main.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-- name: systemd daemon reload
-  ansible.builtin.systemd_service:
-    daemon_reload: true
-  become: true
diff --git a/roles/docker/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/docker/tasks/main.yaml
index ae08dcd..8c8044d 100644
--- a/roles/docker/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/docker/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -9,7 +9,3 @@
 - name: Ensure Docker daemon configuration
   ansible.builtin.import_tasks:
     file: main/03_docker_config.yaml
-
-- name: Ensure automatic cleanup of unused Docker data is set up
-  ansible.builtin.import_tasks:
-    file: main/04_docker_auto_cleanup.yaml
diff --git a/roles/docker/tasks/main/04_docker_auto_cleanup.yaml b/roles/docker/tasks/main/04_docker_auto_cleanup.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index ed43bfc..0000000
--- a/roles/docker/tasks/main/04_docker_auto_cleanup.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-- name: ensure systemd service exists
-  ansible.builtin.copy:
-    src: docker-cleanup.service
-    dest: /etc/systemd/system/docker-cleanup.service
-    owner: root
-    group: root
-    mode: "0644"
-  become: true
-  notify:
-    - systemd daemon reload
-
-- name: ensure systemd timer exists
-  ansible.builtin.copy:
-    src: docker-cleanup.timer
-    dest: /etc/systemd/system/docker-cleanup.timer
-    owner: root
-    group: root
-    mode: "0644"
-  become: true
-  notify:
-    - systemd daemon reload
-
-- name: ensure systemd timer is started and enabled
-  ansible.builtin.systemd_service:
-    name: docker-cleanup.timer
-    state: started
-    enabled: true
-  become: true
diff --git a/roles/docker_compose/tasks/main.yaml b/roles/docker_compose/tasks/main.yaml
index bf02828..5883716 100644
--- a/roles/docker_compose/tasks/main.yaml
+++ b/roles/docker_compose/tasks/main.yaml
@@ -108,3 +108,11 @@
     minute: "0"
     hour: "5"
     job: "cd /ansible_docker_compose; docker compose pull && docker compose up -d"
+
+- name: ensure automatic cleanup cron job is present
+  become: true
+  ansible.builtin.cron:
+    name: 'ansible docker compose auto cleanup'
+    minute: "23"
+    hour: "4"
+    job: "docker system prune -a -f"