diff --git a/otherworld b/otherworld
index db4f028..db84766 100755
--- a/otherworld
+++ b/otherworld
@@ -217,6 +217,11 @@ def load_config_files (namespace, config_files):
             exec(config_code.read(), {}, namespace)
     return dict([item for item in namespace.items() if item[0] in config_keys])
 
+def init_command_as_list (command):
+    if isinstance(command, str):
+        command = ["sh", "-c", command]
+    return command
+
 # parse options and command from command line
 (command_line_options, command) = parse_command_line(sys.argv[1:])
 actions = command_line_options['actions']
@@ -246,6 +251,7 @@ config = {
     "cwd": os.getcwd(),
     "tty": sys.stdout.isatty(),
     "log": log,
+    "root_init_command": [],
     "user_init_command": [],
     "docker_create_options": []
 }
@@ -338,11 +344,11 @@ except Exception:
     log("Creating container user: {}", user)
     docker_create_user(container_name, user, uid)
 
+    if config['root_init_command']:
+        docker_exec(container_name, init_command_as_list(config['root_init_command']), "root", command_env, tty, "/home/{}".format(command_user))
+
     if config['user_init_command']:
-        user_init_command = config['user_init_command']
-        if isinstance(user_init_command, str):
-            user_init_command = ["sh", "-c", user_init_command]
-        docker_exec(container_name, user_init_command, command_user, command_env, tty, "/home/{}".format(command_user))
+        docker_exec(container_name, init_command_as_list(config['user_init_command']), command_user, command_env, tty, "/home/{}".format(command_user))
 
 log("Welcome to {} (IP {})", container_name, container['NetworkSettings']['IPAddress'])
 docker_exec(container_name, command, command_user, command_env, tty, command_workdir)