diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a2f676f..d4259c9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ gitea:
 | `image.repository` | Image to start for this pod                                                                                                             | `gitea/gitea` |
 | `image.tag`        | Visit: [Image tag](https://hub.docker.com/r/gitea/gitea/tags?page=1&ordering=last_updated). Defaults to `appVersion` within Chart.yaml. | `""`          |
 | `image.pullPolicy` | Image pull policy                                                                                                                       | `Always`      |
-| `image.rootless`   | Wether or not to pull the rootless version of Gitea, only works on Gitea 1.14.x or higher                                               | `false`       |
+| `image.rootless`   | Wether or not to pull the rootless version of Gitea, only works on Gitea 1.14.x or higher                                               | `true`        |
 | `imagePullSecrets` | Secret to use for pulling the image                                                                                                     | `[]`          |
 
 ### Security
diff --git a/unittests/init/init_directory_structure.sh-rootless.yaml b/unittests/init/init_directory_structure.sh-rootless.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..854bcce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unittests/init/init_directory_structure.sh-rootless.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+suite: Init template
+release:
+  name: gitea-unittests
+  namespace: testing
+templates:
+  - templates/gitea/init.yaml
+tests:
+  - it: runs gpg in batch mode
+    set:
+      signing.enabled: true
+      signing.privateKey: |-
+        -----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
+        {placeholder}
+        -----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
+    asserts:
+      - equal:
+          path: stringData["configure_gpg_environment.sh"]
+          value: |-
+            #!/usr/bin/env bash
+            set -eu
+
+            gpg --batch --import /raw/private.asc
+  - it: skips gpg script block for disabled signing
+    asserts:
+      - equal:
+          path: stringData["init_directory_structure.sh"]
+          value: |-
+            #!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+            set -euo pipefail
+
+            set -x
+            mkdir -p /data/git/.ssh
+            chmod -R 700 /data/git/.ssh
+            [ ! -d /data/gitea/conf ] && mkdir -p /data/gitea/conf
+
+            # prepare temp directory structure
+            mkdir -p "${GITEA_TEMP}"
+            chmod ug+rwx "${GITEA_TEMP}"
+  - it: adds gpg script block for enabled signing
+    set:
+      signing.enabled: true
+      signing.privateKey: |-
+        -----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
+        {placeholder}
+        -----END PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
+    asserts:
+      - equal:
+          path: stringData["init_directory_structure.sh"]
+          value: |-
+            #!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+            set -euo pipefail
+
+            set -x
+            mkdir -p /data/git/.ssh
+            chmod -R 700 /data/git/.ssh
+            [ ! -d /data/gitea/conf ] && mkdir -p /data/gitea/conf
+
+            # prepare temp directory structure
+            mkdir -p "${GITEA_TEMP}"
+            chmod ug+rwx "${GITEA_TEMP}"
+
+            if [ ! -d "${GNUPGHOME}" ]; then
+              mkdir -p "${GNUPGHOME}"
+              chmod 700 "${GNUPGHOME}"
+              chown 1000:1000 "${GNUPGHOME}"
+            fi
diff --git a/unittests/init/init_directory_structure.sh.yaml b/unittests/init/init_directory_structure.sh.yaml
index ddfa981..7e59404 100644
--- a/unittests/init/init_directory_structure.sh.yaml
+++ b/unittests/init/init_directory_structure.sh.yaml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ templates:
 tests:
   - it: runs gpg in batch mode
     set:
+      image.rootless: false
       signing.enabled: true
       signing.privateKey: |-
         -----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
@@ -21,6 +22,8 @@ tests:
 
             gpg --batch --import /raw/private.asc
   - it: skips gpg script block for disabled signing
+    set:
+      image.rootless: false
     asserts:
       - equal:
           path: stringData["init_directory_structure.sh"]
@@ -41,6 +44,7 @@ tests:
             chmod ug+rwx "${GITEA_TEMP}"
   - it: adds gpg script block for enabled signing
     set:
+      image.rootless: false
       signing.enabled: true
       signing.privateKey: |-
         -----BEGIN PGP PRIVATE KEY BLOCK-----
diff --git a/values.yaml b/values.yaml
index a73a88b..c37edc2 100644
--- a/values.yaml
+++ b/values.yaml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ image:
   # Overrides the image tag whose default is the chart appVersion.
   tag: ""
   pullPolicy: Always
-  rootless: false # only possible when running 1.14 or later
+  rootless: true
 
 ## @param imagePullSecrets Secret to use for pulling the image
 imagePullSecrets: []