diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 98f6ee7..b6f8684 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ ExecStopPost=/path/to/iptables -w -F reaction
 ExecStopPost=/path/to/iptables -w -X reaction
 
 StateDirectory=reaction
+RuntimeDirectory=reaction
 WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/reaction
 ```
 See [reaction.service](./config/reaction.service) and [reaction.yml](./config/reaction.yml) for the fully commented examples.
@@ -74,6 +75,10 @@ See [reaction.service](./config/reaction.service) and [reaction.yml](./config/re
 the working directory of `reaction` will be used to create and read from the embedded database.
 if you don't know where to start it, `/var/lib/reaction` should be a sane choice.
 
+### socket
+
+the socket allowing communication between the cli and server will be created at `/run/reaction/reaction.socket`.
+
 ### terminology
 
 - **streams** are commands. they're run and their ouptut is captured. *example:* `tail -f /var/log/nginx/access.log`
diff --git a/app/cli.go b/app/cli.go
index a2ced71..7d73126 100644
--- a/app/cli.go
+++ b/app/cli.go
@@ -23,12 +23,10 @@ type Response struct {
 	Actions ReadableMap
 }
 
-func SocketPath() string {
-	return fmt.Sprintf("/run/user/%v/reaction.sock", os.Getuid())
-}
+const SocketPath = "/run/reaction/reaction.sock"
 
 func SendAndRetrieve(data Request) Response {
-	conn, err := net.Dial("unix", SocketPath())
+	conn, err := net.Dial("unix", SocketPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalln("Error opening connection top daemon:", err)
 	}
diff --git a/app/pipe.go b/app/pipe.go
index 46f5dbc..5718242 100644
--- a/app/pipe.go
+++ b/app/pipe.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"net"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"sync"
 
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
@@ -110,18 +111,21 @@ func (r ReadableMap) ToString() string {
 // Socket-related, server-related functions
 
 func createOpenSocket() net.Listener {
-	socketPath := SocketPath()
-	_, err := os.Stat(socketPath)
+	err := os.MkdirAll(path.Dir(SocketPath), 0755)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalln("FATAL Failed to create socket directory")
+	}
+	_, err = os.Stat(SocketPath)
 	if err == nil {
-		log.Println("WARN  socket", socketPath, "already exists: Is the daemon already running? Deleting.")
-		err = os.Remove(socketPath)
+		log.Println("WARN  socket", SocketPath, "already exists: Is the daemon already running? Deleting.")
+		err = os.Remove(SocketPath)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Println("FATAL Failed to remove socket:", err)
+			log.Fatalln("FATAL Failed to remove socket:", err)
 		}
 	}
-	ln, err := net.Listen("unix", socketPath)
+	ln, err := net.Listen("unix", SocketPath)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Println("FATAL Failed to create socket:", err)
+		log.Fatalln("FATAL Failed to create socket:", err)
 	}
 	return ln
 }
diff --git a/app/reaction.go b/app/reaction.go
index f8a16d3..a892912 100644
--- a/app/reaction.go
+++ b/app/reaction.go
@@ -235,7 +235,10 @@ func quit() {
 	// wait for them to complete
 	wgActions.Wait()
 	// delete pipe
-	os.Remove(SocketPath())
+	err := os.Remove(SocketPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Println("Failed to remove socket:", err)
+	}
 
 	os.Exit(3)
 }
diff --git a/config/reaction.service b/config/reaction.service
index 2e08088..49513e0 100644
--- a/config/reaction.service
+++ b/config/reaction.service
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 [Unit]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target
 
+# See `man systemd.exec` and `man systemd.service` for most options below
 [Service]
 ExecStart=/path/to/reaction -c /etc/reaction.yml
 
@@ -24,5 +25,7 @@ ExecStopPost=/path/to/iptables -w -X reaction
 
 # Ask systemd to create /var/lib/reaction (/var/lib/ is implicit)
 StateDirectory=reaction
+# Ask systemd to create /run/reaction at runtime (/run/ is implicit)
+RuntimeDirectory=reaction
 # Start reaction in its state directory
 WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/reaction
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index d542811..a62c313 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
+gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405 h1:yhCVgyC4o1eVCa2tZl7eS0r+SDo693bJlVdllGtEeKM=
+gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1 h1:fxVm/GzAzEWqLHuvctI91KS9hhNmmWOoWu0XTYJS7CA=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.1/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=