diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index ad45b45..7046c84 100755
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -51,4 +51,5 @@ borg_user: "root"
 borg_group: "root"
 backup_user_info:
   home: "/home/{{ borg_user }}"
+borgmatic_run_as_root: false
 ...
diff --git a/meta/argument_specs.yml b/meta/argument_specs.yml
index e074e45..759d5c9 100644
--- a/meta/argument_specs.yml
+++ b/meta/argument_specs.yml
@@ -207,3 +207,7 @@ argument_specs:
         type: str
         required: false
         description: Comment added to the SSH public key.
+      borgmatic_run_as_root:
+        type: bool
+        required: false
+        description: If the variable is set, systemd will run borgmatic using sudo.
diff --git a/templates/borgmatic.service.j2 b/templates/borgmatic.service.j2
index 51da9f4..0e6c574 100644
--- a/templates/borgmatic.service.j2
+++ b/templates/borgmatic.service.j2
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ ConditionACPower=true
 [Service]
 Type=oneshot
 User={{ borg_user }}
-ExecStart=borgmatic -c /etc/borgmatic/{{ borgmatic_config_name }} {{ borgmatic_timer_flags }}
+ExecStart={{ 'sudo ' if borgmatic_run_as_root}}borgmatic -c /etc/borgmatic/{{ borgmatic_config_name }} {{ borgmatic_timer_flags }}
 
 # Source: https://projects.torsion.org/borgmatic-collective/borgmatic/raw/branch/master/sample/systemd/borgmatic.service
 # Security settings for systemd running as root, optional but recommended to improve security. You
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ LockPersonality=true
 # Certain borgmatic features like Healthchecks integration need MemoryDenyWriteExecute to be off.
 # But you can try setting it to "yes" for improved security if you don't use those features.
 MemoryDenyWriteExecute=no
-NoNewPrivileges=yes
+NoNewPrivileges={{ 'no' if borgmatic_run_as_root else 'yes'}}
 PrivateDevices=yes
 PrivateTmp=yes
 ProtectClock=yes