diff --git a/upgrade.sh b/upgrade.sh
index 6d30019d9..f0d17e61b 100755
--- a/upgrade.sh
+++ b/upgrade.sh
@@ -1,13 +1,24 @@
-#!/bin/sh
+#!/bin/bash
 # This script will prepare NetBox to run after the code has been upgraded to
 # its most recent release.
 #
 # Once the script completes, remember to restart the WSGI service (e.g.
 # gunicorn or uWSGI).
 
+# Optionally use sudo if not already root, and always prompt for password
+# before running the command
+PREFIX="sudo -k "
+if [ "$(whoami)" = "root" ]; then
+	# When running upgrade as root, ask user to confirm if they wish to
+	# continue
+	read -n1 -rsp $'Running NetBox upgrade as root, press any key to continue or ^C to cancel\n'
+	PREFIX=""
+fi
+
 # Install any new Python packages
-echo "Updating required Python packages (pip install -r requirements.txt --upgrade)..."
-sudo pip install -r requirements.txt --upgrade
+COMMAND="${PREFIX}pip install -r requirements.txt --upgrade"
+echo "Updating required Python packages ($COMMAND)..."
+eval $COMMAND
 
 # Apply any database migrations
 ./netbox/manage.py migrate