diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d77e60b..3d94089 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -365,7 +365,16 @@ sudo bash ./setup-radio-config.sh
 
 4. Configure the [docker compose](./docker-compose.yml) to your specific hardware and file paths. Be sure to comment-out or delete lines that aren't required for your hardware. Please note that your hardware devices might be at a different path than those listed in the docker compose file.
 
-5. Build and start the container.
+5. If you are using SPI/GPIO hardware, make sure the `GPIO_GID` and `SPI_GID`
+   values match the numeric group IDs on your host. The compose file defaults
+   to `GPIO_GID=986` and `SPI_GID=989`.
+
+```bash
+getent group gpio
+getent group spi
+```
+
+6. Build and start the container.
 
 ```bash
 docker compose up -d --force-recreate --build
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 647db59..98a862d 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -2,9 +2,12 @@ services:
   pymc-repeater:
     build:
       context: .
+      dockerfile: dockerfile
       args:
         PUID: ${PUID:-1000}
         PGID: ${PGID:-1000}
+        GPIO_GID: ${GPIO_GID:-986}
+        SPI_GID: ${SPI_GID:-989}
     container_name: pymc-repeater
     restart: unless-stopped
     ports:
@@ -20,7 +23,9 @@ services:
       - SYS_RAWIO
     # USB DEVICSE PERMISSIONS
     group_add:
-     - plugdev
+      - "${GPIO_GID:-986}"
+      - "${SPI_GID:-989}"
+      - plugdev
     volumes:
       - ./config:/etc/pymc_repeater
       - ./data:/var/lib/pymc_repeater
diff --git a/dockerfile b/dockerfile
index a2e1218..39e2f6d 100644
--- a/dockerfile
+++ b/dockerfile
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ ARG USER=repeater
 ARG GROUP=repeater
 ARG PUID=15888
 ARG PGID=15888
+ARG GPIO_GID=986
+ARG SPI_GID=989
 ARG TARGETARCH
 ARG YQ_VERSION=v4.40.5
 
@@ -16,7 +18,9 @@ ENV INSTALL_DIR=/opt/pymc_repeater \
     PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1 \
     SETUPTOOLS_SCM_PRETEND_VERSION_FOR_PYMC_REPEATER=${PACKAGE_VERSION} \
     PUID=${PUID} \
-    PGID=${PGID}
+    PGID=${PGID} \
+    GPIO_GID=${GPIO_GID} \
+    SPI_GID=${SPI_GID}
 
 # Install runtime dependencies only
 RUN DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt-get update && apt-get install -y \
@@ -45,7 +49,10 @@ RUN arch="${TARGETARCH:-}" \
 
 # Create the group and user in order to run without root privileges
 RUN groupadd --gid "$PGID" "$GROUP" \
-    && useradd --uid "$PUID" --gid "$PGID" --home-dir "$HOME_DIR" --create-home --shell /usr/bin/bash "$USER"
+    && groupadd --gid "$GPIO_GID" gpio \
+    && groupadd --gid "$SPI_GID" spi \
+    && useradd --uid "$PUID" --gid "$PGID" --home-dir "$HOME_DIR" --create-home --shell /usr/bin/bash "$USER" \
+    && usermod -a -G gpio,spi "$USER"
 
 # Create runtime directories
 RUN mkdir -p ${INSTALL_DIR} ${CONFIG_DIR} ${DATA_DIR} \