diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b5353bc..fb02113 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -182,6 +182,8 @@ docker run --name postgresql -itd --restart always \
 
 In the above example `dbuser` with be granted access to both the `dbname1` and `dbname2` databases.
 
+If you want `DB_USER` to have ownership of database listed in `DB_NAME`, you can set `DB_USER_IS_DB_OWNER` to true.
+
 # Enabling extensions
 
 The image also packages the [postgres contrib module](http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.4/static/contrib.html). A comma separated list of modules can be specified using the `DB_EXTENSION` parameter.
diff --git a/runtime/functions b/runtime/functions
index f6e7042..86baa13 100755
--- a/runtime/functions
+++ b/runtime/functions
@@ -340,8 +340,17 @@ create_database() {
           load_extensions ${database}
 
           if [[ -n ${DB_USER} ]]; then
-            echo "‣ Granting access to ${DB_USER} user..."
-            psql -U ${PG_USER} -c "GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE \"${database}\" to \"${DB_USER}\";" >/dev/null
+            if [[ "${DB_USER_IS_DB_OWNER}" == true ]]; then
+              echo "‣ Setting ${DB_USER} as an owner of database ${database}..."
+              psql -U ${PG_USER} -c "ALTER DATABASE ${database} OWNER TO ${DB_USER};" >/dev/null
+              # now DB_USER have access to table / schema where the owner is pg_database_owner (e.g. 'public' schema)
+            else
+              echo "‣ Granting access to ${DB_USER} user..."
+              psql -U ${PG_USER} -c "GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE \"${database}\" to \"${DB_USER}\";" >/dev/null
+
+              echo "‣ Granting access on public schema to user '${DB_USER}'"
+              psql -U ${PG_USER} -c "GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA public TO \"${DB_USER}\";" -d "${database}" >/dev/null
+            fi
           fi
         done
         ;;