diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 938173d60e34..dd8b903ef5ae 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@
   [#10896](https://github.com/Kong/kong/pull/10896)
 - Fix a bug when worker consuming dynamic log level setting event and using a wrong reference for notice logging
   [#10897](https://github.com/Kong/kong/pull/10897)
+- Added a `User=` specification to the systemd unit definition so that
+  Kong can be controlled by systemd again.
+  [#11066](https://github.com/Kong/kong/pull/11066)
 
 #### Admin API
 
diff --git a/build/package/kong.service b/build/package/kong.service
index eeaa6502af97..4ea3e5d17e99 100644
--- a/build/package/kong.service
+++ b/build/package/kong.service
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Documentation=https://docs.konghq.com/
 After=syslog.target network.target remote-fs.target nss-lookup.target
 
 [Service]
+User=root
 ExecStartPre=/usr/local/bin/kong prepare -p /usr/local/kong
 ExecStart=/usr/local/openresty/nginx/sbin/nginx -p /usr/local/kong -c nginx.conf
 ExecReload=/usr/local/bin/kong prepare -p /usr/local/kong