diff --git a/meshtasticd/Makefile b/meshtasticd/Makefile
index 8f51fc0..caaf2a1 100644
--- a/meshtasticd/Makefile
+++ b/meshtasticd/Makefile
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ define Package/meshtasticd/Default
   SUBMENU:=Meshtastic
   TITLE:=Meshtastic daemon
   URL:=https://github.com/meshtastic/firmware
+  USERID:=meshtasticd:meshtasticd
 endef
 
 # Leaving a possibility for adding a light variant without the web UI support if
diff --git a/meshtasticd/files/meshtasticd.init b/meshtasticd/files/meshtasticd.init
index 440a5f4..9b2c193 100644
--- a/meshtasticd/files/meshtasticd.init
+++ b/meshtasticd/files/meshtasticd.init
@@ -24,10 +24,14 @@ start_service() {
 
 	mkdir -p "$data_dir"
 
+	chown -R meshtasticd:meshtasticd "$data_dir"
+	chown -R meshtasticd:meshtasticd "$config_dir"
+
 	# meshtasticd needs to be run from its data directory
 	cd "$data_dir"
 
 	procd_open_instance
+	procd_set_param user meshtasticd
 	procd_set_param command "$PROG"
 	procd_append_param command --fsdir="$data_dir"
 	procd_set_param file "$config_file"