diff --git i/src/darwin.rs w/src/darwin.rs
index 64cdbd5..8bd337c 100644
--- i/src/darwin.rs
+++ w/src/darwin.rs
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ impl DarwinRebuildArgs {
     fn rebuild(self, variant: &DarwinRebuildVariant) -> Result<()> {
         use DarwinRebuildVariant::{Build, Switch};
 
-        if nix::unistd::Uid::effective().is_root() {
+        if nix::unistd::Uid::effective().is_root() && !self.bypass_root_check {
             bail!("Don't run nh os as root. I will call sudo internally as needed");
         }
 
diff --git i/src/interface.rs w/src/interface.rs
index a7e199c..fc63b10 100644
--- i/src/interface.rs
+++ w/src/interface.rs
@@ -595,6 +595,10 @@ pub struct DarwinRebuildArgs {
     /// Extra arguments passed to nix build
     #[arg(last = true)]
     pub extra_args: Vec<String>,
+
+    /// Don't panic if calling nh as root
+    #[arg(short = 'R', long, env = "NH_BYPASS_ROOT_CHECK")]
+    pub bypass_root_check: bool,
 }
 
 impl DarwinRebuildArgs {