diff --git a/modules/pacman/init.zsh b/modules/pacman/init.zsh
index c520de8..640edc3 100644
--- a/modules/pacman/init.zsh
+++ b/modules/pacman/init.zsh
@@ -14,23 +14,29 @@ if (( ! ${+commands[pacman]} )); then
   return 1
 fi
 
+local zpacman_frontend_priv helper
+
 if (( ! ${+zpacman_frontend} )); then
   zpacman_frontend='pacman'
+  zpacman_frontend_priv='sudo pacman'
 elif (( ! ${+commands[${zpacman_frontend}]} )); then
   print "pacman frontend \"${zpacman_frontend}\" is invalid or not installed. Reverting to \"pacman\".
-you can fix this error by editing the 'zpacman_frontend' variable in your .zimrc" >&2
+You can fix this error by editing the 'zpacman_frontend' variable in your .zimrc" >&2
   zpacman_frontend='pacman'
+  zpacman_frontend_priv='sudo pacman'
+elif [[ ${zpacman_frontend} == "yaourt" ]]; then
+  # yaourt handles SUID itself
+  zpacman_frontend_priv="${zpacman_frontend}"
+else
+  zpacman_frontend_priv="sudo ${zpacman_frontend}"
 fi
 
-if [[ ${zpacman_frontend} != "yaourt" ]]; then
-    zpacman_frontend="sudo ${zpacman_frontend}"
-fi
 
 #
 # General
 #
 
-alias pac=${zpacman_frontend#* }
+alias pac=${zpacman_frontend}
 
 #
 # Build
@@ -46,16 +52,16 @@ alias pacb='makepkg -sci'
 #NOTE: Installing/upgrading individual packages is NOT supported. Sync and upgrade ALL on install.
 
 # install, sync, and upgrade packages
-alias paci="${zpacman_frontend} -Syu"
+alias paci="${zpacman_frontend_priv} -Syu"
 
 # install, sync, and upgrade packages (forcibly refresh package lists)
-alias pacu="${zpacman_frontend} -Syyu"
+alias pacu="${zpacman_frontend_priv} -Syyu"
 
 # install packages by filename
-alias pacU="sudo pacman -U"
+alias pacU="${zpacman_frontend_priv} -U"
 
 # install all packages in current directory
-alias pacd="sudo pacman -U *.pkg.tar.xz"
+alias pacd="${zpacman_frontend_priv} -U *.pkg.tar.xz"
 
 
 #
@@ -63,10 +69,10 @@ alias pacd="sudo pacman -U *.pkg.tar.xz"
 #
 
 # remove package and unneeded dependencies
-alias pacr='sudo pacman -R'
+alias pacr="${zpacman_frontend_priv} -R"
 
 # remove package, unneeded dependencies, and configuration files
-alias pacrm='sudo pacman -Rns'
+alias pacrm="${zpacman_frontend_priv} -Rns"
 
 
 #
@@ -74,10 +80,10 @@ alias pacrm='sudo pacman -Rns'
 #
 
 # query package information from the remote repository
-alias pacq='pacman -Si'
+alias pacq="${zpacman_frontend} -Si"
 
 # query package information from the local repository
-alias pacQ='pacman -Qi'
+alias pacQ="${zpacman_frontend} -Qi"
 
 
 #
@@ -85,10 +91,10 @@ alias pacQ='pacman -Qi'
 #
 
 # search for package in the remote repository
-alias pacs='pacman -Ss'
+alias pacs="${zpacman_frontend} -Ss"
 
 # search for the package in the local repository
-alias pacS='pacman -Qs'
+alias pacS="${zpacman_frontend} -Qs"
 
 
 #
@@ -96,10 +102,10 @@ alias pacS='pacman -Qs'
 #
 
 # list orphan packages
-alias pacol='pacman -Qdt'
+alias pacol="${zpacman_frontend} -Qdt"
 
 # remove orphan packages
-alias pacor='sudo pacman -Rns $(pacman -Qtdq)'
+alias pacor="${zpacman_frontend_priv} -Rns $(pacman -Qtdq)"
 
 
 #
@@ -107,10 +113,10 @@ alias pacor='sudo pacman -Rns $(pacman -Qtdq)'
 #
 
 # list all files that belong to a package
-alias pacown='pacman -Ql'
+alias pacown="${zpacman_frontend} -Ql"
 
 # show package(s) owning the specified file
-alias pacblame='pacman -Qo'
+alias pacblame="${zpacman_frontend} -Qo"
 
 #
 # Helpers
@@ -124,4 +130,3 @@ for helper ( ${zpacman_helper[@]} ); do
     print "no such helper script \"helper_${helper}.zsh\"" >&2
   fi
 done
-unset helper