diff --git a/system-helper/org.freedesktop.Flatpak.SystemHelper.service.in b/system-helper/org.freedesktop.Flatpak.SystemHelper.service.in
index ed166ee4..a6c77154 100644
--- a/system-helper/org.freedesktop.Flatpak.SystemHelper.service.in
+++ b/system-helper/org.freedesktop.Flatpak.SystemHelper.service.in
@@ -2,3 +2,4 @@
 Name=org.freedesktop.Flatpak.SystemHelper
 Exec=@libexecdir@/flatpak-system-helper@extraargs@
 SystemdService=flatpak-system-helper.service
+User=root