diff --git a/playbooks/restart_zuul_launchers.yaml b/playbooks/restart_zuul_launchers.yaml
index 9c5901d8ad..7ef34fb29f 100644
--- a/playbooks/restart_zuul_launchers.yaml
+++ b/playbooks/restart_zuul_launchers.yaml
@@ -21,3 +21,5 @@
       service:
         name: zuul-launcher
         state: restarted
+      become: true
+      become_user: root