diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 2735a3a..d79686c 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 name: "ssh-setup"
 description: "add a private ssh key"
 inputs:
+  run-as:
+    default: root
+    description: user to create ssh keys for
+    required: false
   ssh-key:
     description: "private ssh key"
     required: true
@@ -12,12 +16,12 @@ runs:
   steps:
     - name: mkdir -p ~/.ssh
       shell: bash
-      run: mkdir -p ~/.ssh
+      run: su {{ inputs.run-as }} -c "mkdir -p ~/.ssh"
     - name: add hosts
       shell: bash
-      run: echo "${{ inputs.add-hosts }}" | xargs ssh-keyscan > ~/.ssh/known_hosts
+      run: su {{ inputs.run-as }} -c "echo \"${{ inputs.add-hosts }}\" | xargs ssh-keyscan > ~/.ssh/known_hosts"
     - name: add ssh key
       shell: bash
       run: |
-        echo "${{ inputs.ssh-key }}" | tr -d "\r" > ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
-        chmod -R 600 ~/.ssh
+        su {{ inputs.run-as }} -c "echo \"${{ inputs.ssh-key }}\" | tr -d \"\r\" > ~/.ssh/id_ed25519"
+        su {{ inputs.run-as }} -c "chmod -R 600 ~/.ssh"