diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 87d7e43..ff0f01d 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -52,12 +52,20 @@ else
   echo "Keeping existing $dest/.env"
 fi
 
-echo "Setting permissions (code read-only to kjv; only logs/ and data/ writable)"
-chown -R root:root "$dest"
-find "$dest" -type d -exec chmod 755 {} +
-find "$dest" -type f -exec chmod 644 {} +
-chmod 755 "$dest"/*.sh
-chown root:kjv "$dest/.env"
+# Admins manage the install through the kjv group (the service's own group).
+admin_user="${KJV_ADMIN_USER:-$SUDO_USER}"
+if [[ -n "$admin_user" && "$admin_user" != root ]] && id "$admin_user" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  echo "Adding $admin_user to group kjv (log out and back in to apply)"
+  usermod -aG kjv "$admin_user"
+else
+  echo "No admin user detected; set KJV_ADMIN_USER=name to add one to the kjv group"
+fi
+
+echo "Setting permissions (code group-writable by kjv; .env, logs and data limited)"
+chown -R root:kjv "$dest"
+find "$dest" -type d -exec chmod 2775 {} +
+find "$dest" -type f -exec chmod 664 {} +
+chmod 775 "$dest"/*.sh
 chmod 640 "$dest/.env"
 # SQLite needs a writable directory for journal files
 chown kjv:kjv "$dest/logs" "$dest/data"