diff --git a/client/snapClient.cpp b/client/snapClient.cpp
index 3d2f4c4b..6b30c17a 100644
--- a/client/snapClient.cpp
+++ b/client/snapClient.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 		Implicit<int> daemonOption("d", "daemon", "daemonize, optional process priority [-20..19]", -3, &processPriority);
 		Value<int> latencyValue("", "latency", "latency of the soundcard", 0, &latency);
 		Value<size_t> instanceValue("i", "instance", "instance id", 1, &instance);
+		Value<string> userValue("", "user", "the user[:group] to run snapclient as when daemonized", "snapclient:audio");
 
 		OptionParser op("Allowed options");
 		op.add(helpSwitch)
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 #endif
 #ifdef HAS_DAEMON
 		 .add(daemonOption)
+		 .add(userValue)
 #endif
 		 .add(latencyValue)
 		 .add(instanceValue);
@@ -163,7 +165,14 @@ int main (int argc, char **argv)
 			string pidFile = "/var/run/snapclient/pid";
 			if (instance != 1)
 				pidFile += "." + cpt::to_string(instance);
-			daemonize("snapclient", "audio", pidFile);
+			
+			if (userValue.getValue().empty())
+				std::invalid_argument("user must not be empty");
+
+			vector<string> user_group = split(userValue.getValue(), ':');
+			string user = user_group[0];
+			string group = (user_group.size() == 1)?user_group[0]:user_group[1];
+			daemonize(user, group, pidFile);
 			if (processPriority < -20)
 				processPriority = -20;
 			else if (processPriority > 19)
diff --git a/openWrt/snapclient.init b/openWrt/snapclient.init
index 9cbcf9ca..b063a0a7 100755
--- a/openWrt/snapclient.init
+++ b/openWrt/snapclient.init
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ SERVICE_PID_FILE=/var/run/$SERVICE_NAME/pid
 
 DESC="Snapcast client"
 DAEMON=/usr/bin/$SERVICE_NAME
-SNAPCLIENT_OPTS="-d"
+SNAPCLIENT_OPTS="-d --user root"
 
 
 # Exit if the package is not installed
diff --git a/openWrt/snapserver.init b/openWrt/snapserver.init
index 2baf9a3f..07d9e6af 100755
--- a/openWrt/snapserver.init
+++ b/openWrt/snapserver.init
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ SERVICE_PID_FILE=/var/run/$SERVICE_NAME/pid
 
 DESC="Snapcast server"
 DAEMON=/usr/bin/$SERVICE_NAME
-SNAPSERVER_OPTS="-d"
+SNAPSERVER_OPTS="-d --user root"
 
 
 # Exit if the package is not installed
diff --git a/server/snapServer.cpp b/server/snapServer.cpp
index 94c3ad66..e510f31f 100644
--- a/server/snapServer.cpp
+++ b/server/snapServer.cpp
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
 		Value<int> bufferValue("b", "buffer", "Buffer [ms]", settings.bufferMs, &settings.bufferMs);
 		Implicit<int> daemonOption("d", "daemon", "Daemonize\noptional process priority [-20..19]", 0, &processPriority);
+		Value<string> userValue("", "user", "the user[:group] to run snapserver as when daemonized", "snapserver:snapserver");
 
 		OptionParser op("Allowed options");
 		op.add(helpSwitch)
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 		 .add(bufferValue)
 #ifdef HAS_DAEMON
 		 .add(daemonOption)
+		 .add(userValue)
 #endif
 		 ;
 
@@ -144,7 +146,13 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 		if (daemonOption.isSet())
 		{
 #ifdef HAS_DAEMON
-			daemonize("snapserver", "snapserver", "/var/run/snapserver/pid");
+			if (userValue.getValue().empty())
+				std::invalid_argument("user must not be empty");
+
+			vector<string> user_group = split(userValue.getValue(), ':');
+			string user = user_group[0];
+			string group = (user_group.size() == 1)?user_group[0]:user_group[1];
+			daemonize(user, group, "/var/run/snapserver/pid");
 			if (processPriority < -20)
 				processPriority = -20;
 			else if (processPriority > 19)