diff --git a/scripts/setup-pi.sh b/scripts/setup-pi.sh
index d43395d..826f0e5 100755
--- a/scripts/setup-pi.sh
+++ b/scripts/setup-pi.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #
 # Options:
 #   --config PATH         Path to config.yaml template to copy to /opt/remoterig/
-#   --service-user USER   Systemd service user (default: pi)
+#   --service-user USER   Systemd service user (default: invoking sudo user, else pi)
 #   --static-ip IP        Static IP for wlan0 (default: 192.168.8.56/24)
 #   --gateway IP          Gateway for wlan0 (default: 192.168.8.1)
 #   --help                Show this help
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ set -euo pipefail
 # Defaults
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 CONFIG_TEMPLATE=""
-SERVICE_USER="pi"
+SERVICE_USER="${SUDO_USER:-pi}"   # default to the invoking user (not every Pi has a 'pi' user)
 STATIC_IP="192.168.8.56/24"
 GATEWAY="192.168.8.1"
 MOSQUITTO_PKG="mosquitto mosquitto-clients"