diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b96821c..7d6fc1a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # A simplistic and secure Gemini server
 
-**Vger** is a gemini server supporting virtualhosts, default language
-choice and MIME types detection.
+**Vger** is a gemini server supporting chroot, virtualhosts, default
+language choice and MIME types detection.
 
 **Vger** design is relying on inetd and a daemon to take care of
 TLS.  The idea is to delegate TLS and network to daemons which
@@ -43,9 +43,10 @@ without a `-d` parameter.
 
 **Vger**  has a few parameters you can use in inetd configuration.
 
-- `-d PATH`: use `PATH` to look for files. Default is `/var/gemini`
+- `-d PATH`: use `PATH` as the data directory to serve files from. Default is `/var/gemini`
 - `-l LANG`: change the language in the status return code. Default is `en`
 - `-v`: enable virtualhost support, the hostname in the query will be considered as a directory name.
+- `-u username`: enable chroot to the data directory and drop privileges to `username`.
 
 
 # How to configure Vger using relayd and inetd
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 59aa2a1..45a241d 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
-#include <sys/stat.h>
-#include <stdlib.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <string.h>
-#include <unistd.h>
 #include <err.h>
 #include <errno.h>
+#include <pwd.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 #include "mimes.c"
 
 #define BUFF_LEN_1	 1000
@@ -92,12 +93,14 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	char 		file     [BUFF_LEN_2];
 	char 		path     [BUFF_LEN_2] = DEFAULT_CHROOT;
 	char 		lang     [3] = DEFAULT_LANG;
+	char 		user     [_SC_LOGIN_NAME_MAX];
+	struct passwd  *pw;
 	int 		virtualhost = 0;
 	int 		option;
 	int 		start_with_gemini;
 	char           *pos;
 
-	while ((option = getopt(argc, argv, ":d:l:v")) != -1) {
+	while ((option = getopt(argc, argv, ":d:l:u:v")) != -1) {
 		switch (option) {
 		case 'd':
 			strlcpy(path, optarg, sizeof(path));
@@ -108,10 +111,33 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 'l':
 			strlcpy(lang, optarg, sizeof(lang));
 			break;
+		case 'u':
+			strlcpy(user, optarg, sizeof(user));
+			break;
 		}
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * use chroot() if an user is specified requires root user to be
+	 * running the program to run chroot() and then drop privileges
+	 */
+	if (strlen(user) > 0) {
+		/* is root? */
+		if (getuid() != 0)
+			err(1, "chroot requires root user");
 
+		/* search user uid from name */
+		if ((pw = getpwnam(user)) == NULL)
+			err(1, "finding user");
+
+		/* chroot worked? */
+		if (chroot(path) != 0)
+			err(1, "chroot");
+
+		/* drop privileges */
+		if (setuid(pw->pw_uid) != 0)
+			err(1, "Can't drop privileges");
+	}
 #ifdef __OpenBSD__
 	/*
 	 * prevent access to files other than the one in path
diff --git a/tests/test.sh b/tests/test.sh
index 1d07b15..94fa946 100644
--- a/tests/test.sh
+++ b/tests/test.sh
@@ -42,6 +42,13 @@ if ! [ $OUT = "0d36a423a4e8be813fda4022f08b3844" ] ; then echo "error" ; exit 1
 OUT=$(printf "gemini://perso.pw\r\n" | ../vger -v -d var/gemini/ -l fr | tee /dev/stderr | $MD5)
 if ! [ $OUT = "7db981ce93fee268f29324912800f00d" ] ; then echo "error" ; exit 1 ; fi
 
+type doas 2>/dev/null
+if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+    # file from local directory chroot
+    OUT=$(printf "gemini://perso.pw\r\n" | doas ../vger -v -d var/gemini/ -u solene -l fr | tee /dev/stderr | $MD5)
+    if ! [ $OUT = "7db981ce93fee268f29324912800f00d" ] ; then echo "error" ; exit 1 ; fi
+fi
+
 #### no -d parameter from here
 
 if [ -d /var/gemini/ ]
diff --git a/vger.8 b/vger.8
index 8512e41..7fe7752 100644
--- a/vger.8
+++ b/vger.8
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 .Op Fl l Ar lang
 .Op Fl v
 .Op Fl d Ar path
+.Op Fl u Ar username
 .Sh DESCRIPTION
 .Nm
 is a secure gemini server that is meant to be run on
@@ -40,6 +41,14 @@ On
 will use
 .Xr unveil 2
 on this path in read-only to prevent file access outside this directory.
+.It Op Fl u Ar username
+Enable
+.Xr chroot 2
+on the data directory and then drop privileges to
+.Ar username .
+This requires
+.Nm
+to be run as root user.
 .El
 .Sh DEPLOYMENT
 .Nm
@@ -70,6 +79,7 @@ relay "gemini" {
 }
 .Ed
 .Sh SEE ALSO
+.Xr chroot 2 ,
 .Xr unveil 2 ,
 .Xr relayd.conf 5 ,
 .Xr inetd 8 ,