diff --git a/bin/input-remapper-gtk b/bin/input-remapper-gtk
index a4b0bbd5a..30ede3c98 100755
--- a/bin/input-remapper-gtk
+++ b/bin/input-remapper-gtk
@@ -41,11 +41,11 @@ from inputremapper.daemon import DaemonProxy
 from inputremapper.logger import logger, update_verbosity, log_info
 
 
-def start_processes(ignore_pkexec_errors=False) -> DaemonProxy:
+def start_processes() -> DaemonProxy:
     """Start reader-service and daemon via pkexec to run in the background."""
     # this function is overwritten in tests
     try:
-        ReaderService.pkexec_reader_service(ingore_errors=ignore_pkexec_errors)
+        ReaderService.pkexec_reader_service()
     except Exception as e:
         logger.error(e)
         sys.exit(11)
@@ -60,11 +60,6 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         help=_('displays additional debug information'),
         default=False
     )
-    parser.add_argument(
-        '-R', '--no-root', action='store_true', dest='no_root',
-        help=_('allow rejecting root access (by cancelling the pkexec dialog)'),
-        default=False
-    )
 
     options = parser.parse_args(sys.argv[1:])
     update_verbosity(options.debug)
@@ -90,8 +85,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 
     # create the reader before we start the reader-service (start_processes) otherwise
     # it can come to race conditions with the creation of pipes
-    reader_client = ReaderClient(message_broker, _Groups(), ignore_pkexec_errors=options.no_root)
-    daemon = start_processes(ignore_pkexec_errors=options.no_root)
+    reader_client = ReaderClient(message_broker, _Groups())
+    daemon = start_processes()
 
     data_manager = DataManager(
         message_broker, GlobalConfig(), reader_client, daemon, GlobalUInputs(), system_mapping
diff --git a/inputremapper/gui/reader_client.py b/inputremapper/gui/reader_client.py
index f29c0b440..8687c70ea 100644
--- a/inputremapper/gui/reader_client.py
+++ b/inputremapper/gui/reader_client.py
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class ReaderClient:
     _timeout: int = 5
 
     def __init__(
-        self, message_broker: MessageBroker, groups: _Groups, ignore_pkexec_errors=False
+        self, message_broker: MessageBroker, groups: _Groups
     ):
         self.groups = groups
         self.message_broker = message_broker
@@ -88,14 +88,13 @@ def __init__(
         self.attach_to_events()
 
         self._read_timeout = GLib.timeout_add(30, self._read)
-        self.ignore_pkexec_errors = ignore_pkexec_errors
 
     def ensure_reader_service_running(self):
         if ReaderService.is_running():
             return
 
         logger.info("ReaderService not running anymore, restarting")
-        ReaderService.pkexec_reader_service(ingore_errors=self.ignore_pkexec_errors)
+        ReaderService.pkexec_reader_service()
 
         # wait until the ReaderService is up
 
diff --git a/inputremapper/gui/reader_service.py b/inputremapper/gui/reader_service.py
index 5fd2471e0..752be2520 100644
--- a/inputremapper/gui/reader_service.py
+++ b/inputremapper/gui/reader_service.py
@@ -136,20 +136,22 @@ def is_running():
         return True
 
     @staticmethod
-    def pkexec_reader_service(ingore_errors=False):
+    def pkexec_reader_service():
         """Start reader-service via pkexec to run in the background."""
         debug = " -d" if logger.level <= logging.DEBUG else ""
         cmd = f"pkexec input-remapper-control --command start-reader-service{debug}"
 
         logger.debug("Running `%s`", cmd)
         exit_code = os.system(cmd)
+        if exit_code == 0:
+            return
 
-        if exit_code != 0:
-            ex = Exception(f"Failed to pkexec the reader-service, code {exit_code}")
-            if ingore_errors:
-                logger.warn(ex)
-            else:
-                raise ex
+        ex = Exception(f"Failed to pkexec the reader-service, code {exit_code}")
+        if os.environ.get("IGNORE_PKEXEC_ERRORS"):
+            logger.warn(ex)
+            return
+
+        raise ex
 
     async def run(self):
         """Start doing stuff."""