diff --git a/crux.el b/crux.el
index a0a9cb8..a9e02ef 100644
--- a/crux.el
+++ b/crux.el
@@ -313,7 +313,14 @@ buffer is not visiting a file."
               (crux-file-owned-by-user-p buffer-file-name))
     (crux-find-alternate-file-as-root buffer-file-name)))
 
-(add-hook 'find-file-hook #'crux-reopen-as-root)
+;;;###autoload
+(define-minor-mode crux-reopen-as-root-mode
+  "Automatically reopen files as root if we can't write to them
+as the current user."
+  :global t
+  (if crux-reopen-as-root-mode
+      (add-hook 'find-file-hook #'crux-reopen-as-root)
+    (remove-hook 'find-file-hook #'crux-reopen-as-root)))
 
 (defun crux-insert-date ()
   "Insert a timestamp according to locale's date and time format."