diff --git a/cmd/install.go b/cmd/install.go
index 729248e..244c4a2 100644
--- a/cmd/install.go
+++ b/cmd/install.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func runInstall(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	prefix, suffix := cfg.Prefix, cfg.Suffix
+	prefix, suffix, serviceUser := cfg.Prefix, cfg.Suffix, cfg.EffectiveServiceUser()
 	installed := 0
 	skipped := 0
 	removed := 0
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func runInstall(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		}
 
 		if dryRun {
-			content, err := systemd.Generate(u, prefix, suffix)
+			content, err := systemd.Generate(u, prefix, suffix, serviceUser)
 			if err != nil {
 				fmt.Printf("  ✗ %s: %v\n", u.Name, err)
 				continue
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func runInstall(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if err := systemd.Install(u, prefix, suffix); err != nil {
+		if err := systemd.Install(u, prefix, suffix, serviceUser); err != nil {
 			fmt.Printf("  ✗ failed: %s: %v\n", u.Name, err)
 		} else {
 			path, _ := systemd.UnitPath(u, prefix, suffix)
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 6a19d92..08a7ec2 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package config
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"os/user"
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
@@ -24,9 +25,21 @@ type Unit struct {
 
 // Config is the root config structure.
 type Config struct {
-	Units  []Unit `yaml:"units"`
-	Prefix string `yaml:"prefix,omitempty"` // prepended to generated service name, e.g. "prod-"
-	Suffix string `yaml:"suffix,omitempty"` // appended to generated service name, e.g. "-svc"
+	Units       []Unit `yaml:"units"`
+	Prefix      string `yaml:"prefix,omitempty"`       // prepended to generated service name, e.g. "prod-"
+	Suffix      string `yaml:"suffix,omitempty"`       // appended to generated service name, e.g. "-svc"
+	ServiceUser string `yaml:"service_user,omitempty"` // User= in [Service] section; defaults to "unitdore"
+}
+
+// EffectiveServiceUser returns the configured service user, or the current OS user if unset.
+func (c *Config) EffectiveServiceUser() string {
+	if c.ServiceUser != "" {
+		return c.ServiceUser
+	}
+	if u, err := user.Current(); err == nil {
+		return u.Username
+	}
+	return "root"
 }
 
 // Load reads and parses the config file at path.
diff --git a/systemd/generator.go b/systemd/generator.go
index 10214af..cd40b5f 100644
--- a/systemd/generator.go
+++ b/systemd/generator.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ After=network.target
 
 [Service]
 Type=simple
+User={{.ServiceUser}}
 ExecStart={{.ExecStart}}
 ExecStop={{.ExecStop}}
 Restart=on-failure
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ type templateData struct {
 	Unit        config.Unit
 	ExecStart   string
 	ExecStop    string
+	ServiceUser string
 }
 
 // ServiceName returns the systemd service name for a unit, with optional prefix/suffix.
@@ -57,7 +59,7 @@ func ServiceName(u config.Unit, prefix, suffix string) string {
 }
 
 // Generate produces the .service file content for a unit.
-func Generate(u config.Unit, prefix, suffix string) (string, error) {
+func Generate(u config.Unit, prefix, suffix, serviceUser string) (string, error) {
 	execStart, execStop := buildExecCommands(u)
 
 	data := templateData{
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ func Generate(u config.Unit, prefix, suffix string) (string, error) {
 		Unit:        u,
 		ExecStart:   execStart,
 		ExecStop:    execStop,
+		ServiceUser: serviceUser,
 	}
 
 	tmplStr := systemUnitTemplate
diff --git a/systemd/generator_test.go b/systemd/generator_test.go
index 05d1ec4..6f1268a 100644
--- a/systemd/generator_test.go
+++ b/systemd/generator_test.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func TestGenerate_SystemUnit(t *testing.T) {
 		Enabled: true,
 	}
 
-	content, err := Generate(u, "", "")
+	content, err := Generate(u, "", "", "unitdore")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Generate() error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func TestGenerate_UserUnit(t *testing.T) {
 		Enabled: true,
 	}
 
-	content, err := Generate(u, "", "")
+	content, err := Generate(u, "", "", "unitdore")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Generate() error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func TestGenerate_CustomCommand(t *testing.T) {
 		Enabled: true,
 	}
 
-	content, err := Generate(u, "", "")
+	content, err := Generate(u, "", "", "unitdore")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Generate() error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ func TestGenerate_DockerRuntime(t *testing.T) {
 		Enabled: true,
 	}
 
-	content, err := Generate(u, "", "")
+	content, err := Generate(u, "", "", "unitdore")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Generate() error: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func TestGenerate_UnknownRuntime(t *testing.T) {
 		Enabled: true,
 	}
 
-	content, err := Generate(u, "", "")
+	content, err := Generate(u, "", "", "unitdore")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Generate() should not error on unknown runtime: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ func TestGenerate_WithPrefixSuffix(t *testing.T) {
 		Enabled: true,
 	}
 
-	content, err := Generate(u, "prod-", "-web")
+	content, err := Generate(u, "prod-", "-web", "unitdore")
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Generate() error: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/systemd/manager.go b/systemd/manager.go
index 4dccdfb..dff8ba3 100644
--- a/systemd/manager.go
+++ b/systemd/manager.go
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ func UnitPath(u config.Unit, prefix, suffix string) (string, error) {
 }
 
 // Install writes the .service file for a unit and reloads systemd.
-func Install(u config.Unit, prefix, suffix string) error {
-	content, err := Generate(u, prefix, suffix)
+func Install(u config.Unit, prefix, suffix, serviceUser string) error {
+	content, err := Generate(u, prefix, suffix, serviceUser)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}