diff --git a/modules/sops/default.nix b/modules/sops/default.nix
index 1a2d793..b348070 100644
--- a/modules/sops/default.nix
+++ b/modules/sops/default.nix
@@ -73,18 +73,32 @@ let
         '';
       };
       owner = lib.mkOption {
-        type = lib.types.str;
-        default = "root";
+        type = with lib.types; nullOr str;
+        default = null;
         description = ''
-          User of the file.
+          User of the file. Can only be set if uid is 0.
+        '';
+      };
+      uid = lib.mkOption {
+        type = with lib.types; nullOr int;
+        default = 0;
+        description = ''
+          UID of the file, only applied when owner is null. The UID will be applied even if the corresponding user doesn't exist.
         '';
       };
       group = lib.mkOption {
-        type = lib.types.str;
-        default = users.${config.owner}.group;
+        type = with lib.types; nullOr str;
+        default = if config.owner != null then users.${config.owner}.group else null;
         defaultText = lib.literalMD "{option}`config.users.users.\${owner}.group`";
         description = ''
-          Group of the file.
+          Group of the file. Can only be set if gid is 0.
+        '';
+      };
+      gid = lib.mkOption {
+        type = with lib.types; nullOr int;
+        default = 0;
+        description = ''
+          GID of the file, only applied when group is null. The GID will be applied even if the corresponding group doesn't exist.
         '';
       };
       sopsFile = lib.mkOption {
@@ -318,6 +332,12 @@ in {
             builtins.isPath secret.sopsFile ||
             (builtins.isString secret.sopsFile && lib.hasPrefix builtins.storeDir secret.sopsFile);
           message = "'${secret.sopsFile}' is not in the Nix store. Either add it to the Nix store or set sops.validateSopsFiles to false";
+        } {
+          assertion = secret.uid != null && secret.uid != 0 -> secret.owner == null;
+          message = "In ${secret.name} exactly one of sops.owner and sops.uid must be set";
+        } {
+          assertion = secret.gid != null && secret.gid != 0 -> secret.group == null;
+          message = "In ${secret.name} exactly one of sops.group and sops.gid must be set";
         }]) cfg.secrets)
       );
 
diff --git a/modules/sops/secrets-for-users/default.nix b/modules/sops/secrets-for-users/default.nix
index bb65532..7c316c4 100644
--- a/modules/sops/secrets-for-users/default.nix
+++ b/modules/sops/secrets-for-users/default.nix
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ in
   };
 
   assertions = [{
-    assertion = (lib.filterAttrs (_: v: v.owner != "root" || v.group != "root") secretsForUsers) == { };
+    assertion = (lib.filterAttrs (_: v: (v.uid != 0 && v.owner != "root") || (v.gid != 0 && v.group != "root")) secretsForUsers) == { };
     message = "neededForUsers cannot be used for secrets that are not root-owned";
   } {
     assertion = secretsForUsers != { } && sysusersEnabled -> config.users.mutableUsers;
diff --git a/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main.go b/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main.go
index 2597fc5..6f51665 100644
--- a/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main.go
+++ b/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main.go
@@ -29,8 +29,10 @@ type secret struct {
 	Name         string     `json:"name"`
 	Key          string     `json:"key"`
 	Path         string     `json:"path"`
-	Owner        string     `json:"owner"`
-	Group        string     `json:"group"`
+	Owner        *string    `json:"owner,omitempty"`
+	UID          int        `json:"uid"`
+	Group        *string    `json:"group,omitempty"`
+	GID          int        `json:"gid"`
 	SopsFile     string     `json:"sopsFile"`
 	Format       FormatType `json:"format"`
 	Mode         string     `json:"mode"`
@@ -475,25 +477,34 @@ func (app *appContext) validateSecret(secret *secret) error {
 		secret.group = 0
 	} else if app.checkMode == Off || app.ignorePasswd {
 		// we only access to the user/group during deployment
-		owner, err := user.Lookup(secret.Owner)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to lookup user '%s': %w", secret.Owner, err)
-		}
-		ownerNr, err := strconv.ParseUint(owner.Uid, 10, 64)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("cannot parse uid %s: %w", owner.Uid, err)
-		}
-		secret.owner = int(ownerNr)
 
-		group, err := user.LookupGroup(secret.Group)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to lookup group '%s': %w", secret.Group, err)
+		if secret.Owner == nil {
+			secret.owner = secret.UID
+		} else {
+			owner, err := user.Lookup(*secret.Owner)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to lookup user '%s': %w", *secret.Owner, err)
+			}
+			uid, err := strconv.ParseUint(owner.Uid, 10, 64)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("cannot parse uid %s: %w", owner.Uid, err)
+			}
+			secret.owner = int(uid)
 		}
-		groupNr, err := strconv.ParseUint(group.Gid, 10, 64)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("cannot parse gid %s: %w", group.Gid, err)
+
+		if secret.Group == nil {
+			secret.group = secret.GID
+		} else {
+			group, err := user.LookupGroup(*secret.Group)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to lookup group '%s': %w", *secret.Group, err)
+			}
+			gid, err := strconv.ParseUint(group.Gid, 10, 64)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("cannot parse gid %s: %w", group.Gid, err)
+			}
+			secret.group = int(gid)
 		}
-		secret.group = int(groupNr)
 	}
 
 	if secret.Format == "" {
diff --git a/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main_test.go b/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main_test.go
index e001c65..8c09e68 100644
--- a/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main_test.go
+++ b/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/main_test.go
@@ -98,12 +98,14 @@ func testGPG(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}()
 
+	nobody := "nobody"
+	nogroup := "nogroup"
 	// should create a symlink
 	yamlSecret := secret{
 		Name:         "test",
 		Key:          "test_key",
-		Owner:        "nobody",
-		Group:        "nogroup",
+		Owner:        &nobody,
+		Group:        &nogroup,
 		SopsFile:     path.Join(assets, "secrets.yaml"),
 		Path:         path.Join(testdir.path, "test-target"),
 		Mode:         "0400",
@@ -112,12 +114,13 @@ func testGPG(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	var jsonSecret, binarySecret, dotenvSecret, iniSecret secret
+	root := "root"
 	// should not create a symlink
 	jsonSecret = yamlSecret
 	jsonSecret.Name = "test2"
-	jsonSecret.Owner = "root"
+	jsonSecret.Owner = &root
 	jsonSecret.Format = "json"
-	jsonSecret.Group = "root"
+	jsonSecret.Group = &root
 	jsonSecret.SopsFile = path.Join(assets, "secrets.json")
 	jsonSecret.Path = path.Join(testdir.secretsPath, "test2")
 	jsonSecret.Mode = "0700"
@@ -130,16 +133,16 @@ func testGPG(t *testing.T) {
 
 	dotenvSecret = yamlSecret
 	dotenvSecret.Name = "test4"
-	dotenvSecret.Owner = "root"
-	dotenvSecret.Group = "root"
+	dotenvSecret.Owner = &root
+	dotenvSecret.Group = &root
 	dotenvSecret.Format = "dotenv"
 	dotenvSecret.SopsFile = path.Join(assets, "secrets.env")
 	dotenvSecret.Path = path.Join(testdir.secretsPath, "test4")
 
 	iniSecret = yamlSecret
 	iniSecret.Name = "test5"
-	iniSecret.Owner = "root"
-	iniSecret.Group = "root"
+	iniSecret.Owner = &root
+	iniSecret.Group = &root
 	iniSecret.Format = "ini"
 	iniSecret.SopsFile = path.Join(assets, "secrets.ini")
 	iniSecret.Path = path.Join(testdir.secretsPath, "test5")
@@ -214,11 +217,13 @@ func testSSHKey(t *testing.T) {
 	ok(t, err)
 	file.Close()
 
+	nobody := "nobody"
+	nogroup := "nogroup"
 	s := secret{
 		Name:         "test",
 		Key:          "test_key",
-		Owner:        "nobody",
-		Group:        "nogroup",
+		Owner:        &nobody,
+		Group:        &nogroup,
 		SopsFile:     path.Join(assets, "secrets.yaml"),
 		Path:         target,
 		Mode:         "0400",
@@ -247,11 +252,13 @@ func TestAge(t *testing.T) {
 	ok(t, err)
 	file.Close()
 
+	nobody := "nobody"
+	nogroup := "nogroup"
 	s := secret{
 		Name:         "test",
 		Key:          "test_key",
-		Owner:        "nobody",
-		Group:        "nogroup",
+		Owner:        &nobody,
+		Group:        &nogroup,
 		SopsFile:     path.Join(assets, "secrets.yaml"),
 		Path:         target,
 		Mode:         "0400",
@@ -280,11 +287,13 @@ func TestAgeWithSSH(t *testing.T) {
 	ok(t, err)
 	file.Close()
 
+	nobody := "nobody"
+	nogroup := "nogroup"
 	s := secret{
 		Name:         "test",
 		Key:          "test_key",
-		Owner:        "nobody",
-		Group:        "nogroup",
+		Owner:        &nobody,
+		Group:        &nogroup,
 		SopsFile:     path.Join(assets, "secrets.yaml"),
 		Path:         target,
 		Mode:         "0400",
@@ -314,11 +323,13 @@ func TestValidateManifest(t *testing.T) {
 	testdir := newTestDir(t)
 	defer testdir.Remove()
 
+	nobody := "nobody"
+	nogroup := "nogroup"
 	s := secret{
 		Name:         "test",
 		Key:          "test_key",
-		Owner:        "nobody",
-		Group:        "nogroup",
+		Owner:        &nobody,
+		Group:        &nogroup,
 		SopsFile:     path.Join(assets, "secrets.yaml"),
 		Path:         path.Join(testdir.path, "test-target"),
 		Mode:         "0400",
diff --git a/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/nixos-test.nix b/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/nixos-test.nix
index 488b8a3..4f3a760 100644
--- a/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/nixos-test.nix
+++ b/pkgs/sops-install-secrets/nixos-test.nix
@@ -112,12 +112,41 @@ in {
 
   age-keys = testers.runNixOSTest {
     name = "sops-age-keys";
-    nodes.machine =  { lib, ... }: {
+    nodes.machine =  { config, ... }: {
       imports = [ ../../modules/sops ];
       sops = {
         age.keyFile = "/run/age-keys.txt";
         defaultSopsFile = ./test-assets/secrets.yaml;
-        secrets.test_key = { };
+        secrets = {
+          test_key = { };
+
+          test_key_someuser_somegroup = {
+            uid = config.users.users."someuser".uid;
+            gid = config.users.groups."somegroup".gid;
+            key = "test_key";
+          };
+          test_key_someuser_root = {
+            uid = config.users.users."someuser".uid;
+            key = "test_key";
+          };
+          test_key_root_root = {
+            key = "test_key";
+          };
+          test_key_1001_1001 = {
+            uid = 1001;
+            gid = 1001;
+            key = "test_key";
+          };
+        };
+      };
+
+      users.users."someuser" = {
+        uid = 1000;
+        group = "somegroup";
+        isNormalUser = true;
+      };
+      users.groups."somegroup" = {
+        gid = 1000;
       };
 
       # must run before sops sets up keys
@@ -130,6 +159,22 @@ in {
     testScript = ''
       start_all()
       machine.succeed("cat /run/secrets/test_key | grep -q test_value")
+
+      with subtest("test ownership"):
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%u /run/secrets/test_key_someuser_somegroup) = '1000' ]")
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%g /run/secrets/test_key_someuser_somegroup) = '1000' ]")
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%U /run/secrets/test_key_someuser_somegroup) = 'someuser' ]")
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%G /run/secrets/test_key_someuser_somegroup) = 'somegroup' ]")
+
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%u /run/secrets/test_key_someuser_root) = '1000' ]")
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%g /run/secrets/test_key_someuser_root) = '0' ]")
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%U /run/secrets/test_key_someuser_root) = 'someuser' ]")
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%G /run/secrets/test_key_someuser_root) = 'root' ]")
+
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%u /run/secrets/test_key_1001_1001) = '1001' ]")
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%g /run/secrets/test_key_1001_1001) = '1001' ]")
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%U /run/secrets/test_key_1001_1001) = 'UNKNOWN' ]")
+         machine.succeed("[ $(stat -c%G /run/secrets/test_key_1001_1001) = 'UNKNOWN' ]")
     '';
   };
 
@@ -142,6 +187,7 @@ in {
         type = "ed25519";
         path = ./test-assets/ssh-ed25519-key;
       }];
+
       sops = {
         defaultSopsFile = ./test-assets/secrets.yaml;
         secrets.test_key = { };
@@ -161,7 +207,7 @@ in {
 
   pgp-keys = testers.runNixOSTest {
     name = "sops-pgp-keys";
-    nodes.server = { pkgs, lib, config, ... }: {
+    nodes.server = { lib, config, ... }: {
       imports = [ ../../modules/sops ];
 
       users.users.someuser = {