diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index db46e25..7f881b7 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ $$ echo "a shell command"
 # copying files
 filea -> fileb
 
+# the copy command may also be prefixed with a # like so:
+filea #-> fileb
+# which will copy the file as root
+
 # installing programs
 :: neovim,firefox,neofetch
 ```
diff --git a/auto. b/auto.
index d86f855..e258cf5 100755
--- a/auto.
+++ b/auto.
@@ -165,13 +165,18 @@ while read -r line || return 0; do
   # remove/add a file
   elif printf "%s" "$line" | grep -q -- "->"; then
     # get the path of the file
-    sourcef=$(eval echo "${line%%\ ->*}")
+    sourcef=$(eval echo "${line%% *->*}")
 
     # get the destination for the file
-    destf=$(eval echo "${line##*->\ }")
+    destf=$(eval echo "${line##*->* }")
 
     # install/uninstall
-    [ $install ] && cp -rv -- "$sourcef" "$destf"
-    [ $uninstall ] && rm -rv -- "$destf"
+    if printf "%s" "$line" | grep -q -- "#->"; then
+      [ $install ] && dort cp -rv -- "$sourcef" "$destf"
+      [ $uninstall ] && dort rm -rv -- "$destf"
+    else
+      [ $install ] && cp -rv -- "$sourcef" "$destf"
+      [ $uninstall ] && rm -rv -- "$destf"
+    fi
   fi
 done < "$topography"