diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 687d7f2..20c9928 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -10,24 +10,21 @@ LABEL org.opencontainers.image.source "https://github.com/thelounge/thelounge-do
 LABEL org.opencontainers.image.version "${THELOUNGE_VERSION}"
 LABEL org.opencontainers.image.licenses "MIT"
 
-ENV NODE_ENV production
-
+EXPOSE 9000
 ENV THELOUNGE_HOME "/var/opt/thelounge"
-VOLUME "${THELOUNGE_HOME}"
-
-# Expose HTTP.
-ENV PORT 9000
-EXPOSE ${PORT}
-
-ENTRYPOINT ["docker-entrypoint.sh"]
-CMD ["thelounge", "start"]
 
-COPY docker-entrypoint.sh /usr/local/bin/docker-entrypoint.sh
-
-# Install thelounge.
+ENV NODE_ENV production
 RUN apk --update --no-cache --virtual build-deps add python3 build-base git && \
     ln -sf python3 /usr/bin/python && \
     yarn --non-interactive --frozen-lockfile global add thelounge@${THELOUNGE_VERSION} && \
     yarn --non-interactive cache clean && \
     apk del --purge build-deps && \
     rm -rf /root/.cache /tmp /usr/bin/python
+
+RUN install -d -o node -g node "${THELOUNGE_HOME}"
+# order of the directives matters, keep VOLUME below the dir creation
+VOLUME "${THELOUNGE_HOME}"
+
+USER node:node
+ENTRYPOINT ["/usr/local/bin/thelounge"]
+CMD ["start"]
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5ecd030..e42df28 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -39,18 +39,18 @@ or starting a container manually:
 $ docker run --detach \
              --name thelounge \
              --publish 9000:9000 \
-             --volume ~/.thelounge:/var/opt/thelounge \
+             --volume thelounge:/var/opt/thelounge \
              --restart always \
              ghcr.io/thelounge/thelounge:latest
 ```
 
 ### Executing commands in the container
 
-Due to the way root permissions are dropped in the container, it's highly recommended to pass the `--user node` argument to any
-commands you execute in the container via Docker to ensure that file permissions retain the correct owner, like so:
+The container is setup to use an unprivileged user (node).  
+You can directly issue thelounge commands as follows:
 
 ```
-$ docker exec --user node -it [container_name] thelounge add MyUser
+$ docker exec -it [container_name] thelounge help
 ```
 
 ### Configuring identd
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ $ docker run --detach \
              --name thelounge \
              --publish 113:9001 \
              --publish 9000:9000 \
-             --volume ~/.thelounge:/var/opt/thelounge \
+             --volume thelounge:/var/opt/thelounge \
              --restart always \
              ghcr.io/thelounge/thelounge:latest
 ```
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ Refer to the [identd / oidentd docs](https://thelounge.chat/docs/guides/identd-a
 
 The Lounge reads and stores all of its configuration, logs and other data at `/var/opt/thelounge`.
 
-By default, The Lounge will run using the `node (1000:1000)` system user in the container, leading to mounted data directories
-on the host system being owned by said user. This is customizable by changing the container user (see [Container user (advanced usage)](#container-user-advanced-usage)).
+By default, The Lounge will run using the `node (1000:1000)` system user in the container, meaning volume contents must be owned by said user.
 
 _You will probably want to persist the data at this location by using [one of the means](https://docs.docker.com/storage/) to do so._
 
@@ -85,7 +84,7 @@ _You will probably want to persist the data at this location by using [one of th
 Users can be added as follows:
 
 ```sh
-$ docker exec --user node -it [container_name] thelounge add [username]
+$ docker exec -it [container_name] thelounge add [username]
 ```
 
 _Note: without [persisting data](#data-directory), added users will be lost when the container is removed._
@@ -99,7 +98,7 @@ change the host port in the port mapping. To make The Lounge available on e.g. p
 $ docker run --detach \
              --name thelounge \
              --publish 5000:9000 \ # Change host port to listen on port 5000
-             --volume ~/.thelounge:/var/opt/thelounge \
+             --volume thelounge:/var/opt/thelounge \
              --restart always \
              ghcr.io/thelounge/thelounge:latest
 ```
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 1b82c88..0eea2ee 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@ services:
       - "9000:9000"
     restart: always
     volumes:
-      - ~/.thelounge:/var/opt/thelounge # bind lounge config from the host's file system
+      - thelounge:/var/opt/thelounge # uses a named volume on the host
diff --git a/docker-entrypoint.sh b/docker-entrypoint.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index efbd313..0000000
--- a/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-if [ "$1" = "thelounge" ] && [ "$(id -u)" = '0' ]; then
-    find "${THELOUNGE_HOME}" \! -user node -exec chown node '{}' +
-    exec su node -c "$*"
-fi
-
-exec "$@"