diff --git a/services/service.ts b/services/service.ts
index 1b3931f..40b1541 100644
--- a/services/service.ts
+++ b/services/service.ts
@@ -48,9 +48,12 @@ const availableFlags = {
   blockUpdates: 'webosbrew_block_updates',
 } as Record<string, FlagName>;
 
-function runningAsRoot(): boolean {
+const runningAsRoot: boolean = (() => {
+  if (typeof process.getuid === 'undefined') {
+    throw new Error('process.getuid() is missing');
+  }
   return process.getuid() === 0;
-}
+})();
 
 function asyncCall<T extends Record<string, any>>(srv: Service, uri: string, args: Record<string, any>): Promise<T> {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
@@ -119,13 +122,15 @@ function hashString(data: string, algorithm: string): string {
 /**
  * Elevates a package by name.
  */
-async function elevateService(pkg: string): Promise<void> {
-  if (runningAsRoot()) {
-    console.info('Elevating service...');
-    await asyncExecFile(path.join(__dirname, 'elevate-service'), [pkg]);
-  } else {
+async function elevateService(pkg: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  if (!runningAsRoot) {
     console.error('Trying to elevate service without running as root. Skipping.');
+    return false;
   }
+
+  console.info('Elevating service...');
+  await asyncExecFile(path.join(__dirname, 'elevate-service'), [pkg]);
+  return true;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -325,7 +330,7 @@ function runService() {
   service.activityManager.idleTimeout = 30;
 
   function getInstallerService(): Service {
-    if (runningAsRoot()) {
+    if (runningAsRoot) {
       return service;
     }
     return serviceRemote as Service;
@@ -396,7 +401,7 @@ function runService() {
       // If reelevation fails for some reason the service should still be
       // reelevated on reboot on devices with persistent autostart hooks (since
       // we launch elevate-service in startup.sh script)
-      if (runningAsRoot() && pkginfo && pkginfo.Package === kHomebrewChannelPackageId) {
+      if (runningAsRoot && pkginfo && pkginfo.Package === kHomebrewChannelPackageId) {
         message.respond({ statusText: 'Self-update…' });
         await createToast('Performing self-update...', service);
 
@@ -484,7 +489,7 @@ function runService() {
    */
   service.register(
     'checkRoot',
-    tryRespond(async () => ({ returnValue: runningAsRoot() })),
+    tryRespond(async () => ({ returnValue: runningAsRoot })),
   );
 
   /**
@@ -493,7 +498,7 @@ function runService() {
   service.register(
     'updateStartupScript',
     tryRespond(async () => {
-      if (!runningAsRoot()) {
+      if (!runningAsRoot) {
         return { returnValue: true, statusText: 'Not running as root.' };
       }
 
@@ -666,7 +671,7 @@ function runService() {
   service.register(
     'autostart',
     tryRespond(async (message) => {
-      if (!runningAsRoot()) {
+      if (!runningAsRoot) {
         return { message: 'Not running as root.', returnValue: true };
       }
       if (await asyncExists('/tmp/webosbrew_startup')) {
@@ -703,6 +708,35 @@ function runService() {
       return { returnValue: true };
     }),
   );
+
+  /**
+   * Elevates the service specified by "id".
+   */
+  type ElevateServicePayload = { id: string };
+  service.register(
+    'elevateService',
+    tryRespond(async (message: Message) => {
+      if (!('id' in message.payload)) {
+        throw new Error('missing "id"');
+      } else if (typeof message.payload['id'] !== 'string') {
+        throw new Error('"id" is not a string');
+      } else if (message.payload['id'] === '') {
+        throw new Error('"id" is empty');
+      }
+
+      if (!runningAsRoot) {
+        throw new Error('not running as root');
+      }
+
+      const payload = message.payload as ElevateServicePayload;
+
+      const status = await elevateService(payload.id);
+
+      if (!status) {
+        throw new Error('elevateService() failed');
+      }
+    }),
+  );
 }
 
 if (process.argv[2] === 'self-update') {