diff --git a/piker/cli/__init__.py b/piker/cli/__init__.py
index 7eb7b5d1..3dc946b8 100644
--- a/piker/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/piker/cli/__init__.py
@@ -16,20 +16,6 @@ from .. import config
 log = get_logger('cli')
 DEFAULT_BROKER = 'questrade'
 
-_config_dir = click.get_app_dir('piker')
-_watchlists_data_path = os.path.join(_config_dir, 'watchlists.json')
-_context_defaults = dict(
-    default_map={
-        # Questrade specific quote poll rates
-        'monitor': {
-            'rate': 3,
-        },
-        'optschain': {
-            'rate': 1,
-        },
-    }
-)
-
 
 @click.command()
 @click.option('--loglevel', '-l', default='warning', help='Logging level')
@@ -58,7 +44,7 @@ def pikerd(loglevel, host, tl, pdb):
     trio.run(main)
 
 
-@click.group(context_settings=_context_defaults)
+@click.group(context_settings=config._context_defaults)
 @click.option(
     '--brokers', '-b',
     default=[DEFAULT_BROKER],
@@ -87,8 +73,8 @@ def cli(ctx, brokers, loglevel, tl, configdir):
         'loglevel': loglevel,
         'tractorloglevel': None,
         'log': get_console_log(loglevel),
-        'confdir': _config_dir,
-        'wl_path': _watchlists_data_path,
+        'confdir': config._config_dir,
+        'wl_path': config._watchlists_data_path,
     })
 
     # allow enabling same loglevel in ``tractor`` machinery
diff --git a/piker/config.py b/piker/config.py
index 93a47378..836da432 100644
--- a/piker/config.py
+++ b/piker/config.py
@@ -30,8 +30,34 @@ from .log import get_logger
 
 log = get_logger('broker-config')
 
-_config_dir = click.get_app_dir('piker')
+_config_dir = _click_config_dir = click.get_app_dir('piker')
+_parent_user = os.environ.get('SUDO_USER')
+
+if _parent_user:
+    non_root_user_dir = os.path.expanduser(
+        f'~{_parent_user}'
+    )
+    root = 'root'
+    _config_dir = (
+        non_root_user_dir +
+        _click_config_dir[
+            _click_config_dir.rfind(root) + len(root):
+        ]
+    )
+
 _file_name = 'brokers.toml'
+_watchlists_data_path = os.path.join(_config_dir, 'watchlists.json')
+_context_defaults = dict(
+    default_map={
+        # Questrade specific quote poll rates
+        'monitor': {
+            'rate': 3,
+        },
+        'optschain': {
+            'rate': 1,
+        },
+    }
+)
 
 
 def _override_config_dir(