diff --git a/fragments/functions.sh b/fragments/functions.sh
index f5d5137..4ae4518 100644
--- a/fragments/functions.sh
+++ b/fragments/functions.sh
@@ -392,11 +392,12 @@ installAppWithPath() { # $1: path to app to install in $targetDir
         fi
 
         # set ownership to current user
-        if [ "$currentUser" != "loginwindow" ]; then
+        if [[ "$currentUser" != "loginwindow" && $SYSTEMOWNER -ne 1 ]]; then
             printlog "Changing owner to $currentUser"
             chown -R "$currentUser" "$targetDir/$appName"
         else
-            printlog "No user logged in, not changing user"
+            printlog "No user logged in or SYSTEMOWNER=1, setting owner to root:wheel"
+            chown -R root:wheel "$targetDir/$appName"
         fi
 
     elif [[ ! -z $CLIInstaller ]]; then
diff --git a/fragments/header.sh b/fragments/header.sh
index c41879d..7107a10 100644
--- a/fragments/header.sh
+++ b/fragments/header.sh
@@ -88,6 +88,13 @@ IGNORE_APP_STORE_APPS=no
 #                  Shouldn’t give any problems for the user in most cases.
 #                  Known bad example: Slack will loose all settings.
 
+# Owner of copied apps
+SYSTEMOWNER=0
+# options:
+#  - 0             Current user will be owner of copied apps, just like if they
+#                  installed it themselves (default).
+#  - 1             root:wheel will be set on the copied app.
+#                  Useful for shared machines.
 
 # install behavior
 INSTALL=""