diff --git a/cmd/helm/init.go b/cmd/helm/init.go
index a2bec7a65..ff1d56288 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/init.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/init.go
@@ -66,17 +66,18 @@ var (
 )
 
 type initCmd struct {
-	image       string
-	clientOnly  bool
-	canary      bool
-	upgrade     bool
-	namespace   string
-	dryRun      bool
-	skipRefresh bool
-	out         io.Writer
-	home        helmpath.Home
-	opts        installer.Options
-	kubeClient  internalclientset.Interface
+	image          string
+	clientOnly     bool
+	canary         bool
+	upgrade        bool
+	namespace      string
+	dryRun         bool
+	skipRefresh    bool
+	out            io.Writer
+	home           helmpath.Home
+	opts           installer.Options
+	kubeClient     internalclientset.Interface
+	serviceAccount string
 }
 
 func newInitCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ func newInitCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	f.StringVar(&localRepositoryURL, "local-repo-url", localRepositoryURL, "URL for local repository")
 
 	f.BoolVar(&i.opts.EnableHostNetwork, "net-host", false, "install tiller with net=host")
+	f.StringVar(&i.serviceAccount, "service-account", "", "name of service account")
 
 	return cmd
 }
@@ -154,6 +156,7 @@ func (i *initCmd) run() error {
 	i.opts.Namespace = i.namespace
 	i.opts.UseCanary = i.canary
 	i.opts.ImageSpec = i.image
+	i.opts.ServiceAccount = i.serviceAccount
 
 	if settings.Debug {
 		writeYAMLManifest := func(apiVersion, kind, body string, first, last bool) error {
diff --git a/cmd/helm/installer/install.go b/cmd/helm/installer/install.go
index 90e832b07..d3c9217be 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/installer/install.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/installer/install.go
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ func generateDeployment(opts *Options) *extensions.Deployment {
 					Labels: labels,
 				},
 				Spec: api.PodSpec{
+					ServiceAccountName: opts.ServiceAccount,
 					Containers: []api.Container{
 						{
 							Name:            "tiller",
diff --git a/cmd/helm/installer/install_test.go b/cmd/helm/installer/install_test.go
index 63f8419b3..be3ef151f 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/installer/install_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/installer/install_test.go
@@ -70,6 +70,34 @@ func TestDeploymentManifest(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestDeploymentManifestForServiceAccount(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name            string
+		image           string
+		canary          bool
+		expect          string
+		imagePullPolicy api.PullPolicy
+		serviceAccount  string
+	}{
+		{"withSA", "", false, "gcr.io/kubernetes-helm/tiller:latest", "IfNotPresent", "service-account"},
+		{"withoutSA", "", false, "gcr.io/kubernetes-helm/tiller:latest", "IfNotPresent", ""},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		o, err := DeploymentManifest(&Options{Namespace: api.NamespaceDefault, ImageSpec: tt.image, UseCanary: tt.canary, ServiceAccount: tt.serviceAccount})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("%s: error %q", tt.name, err)
+		}
+
+		var d extensions.Deployment
+		if err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(o), &d); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("%s: error %q", tt.name, err)
+		}
+		if got := d.Spec.Template.Spec.ServiceAccountName; got != tt.serviceAccount {
+			t.Errorf("%s: expected service account value %q, got %q", tt.name, tt.serviceAccount, got)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestDeploymentManifest_WithTLS(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		opts   Options
diff --git a/cmd/helm/installer/options.go b/cmd/helm/installer/options.go
index eb9519f5d..6fb804a46 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/installer/options.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/installer/options.go
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ type Options struct {
 	// Namespace is the kubernetes namespace to use to deploy tiller.
 	Namespace string
 
+	// ServiceAccount is the Kubernetes service account to add to tiller
+	ServiceAccount string
+
 	// ImageSpec indentifies the image tiller will use when deployed.
 	//
 	// Valid if and only if UseCanary is false.
diff --git a/docs/helm/helm_init.md b/docs/helm/helm_init.md
index 3fe94b79c..e21121dcd 100644
--- a/docs/helm/helm_init.md
+++ b/docs/helm/helm_init.md
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ helm init
       --dry-run                  do not install local or remote
       --local-repo-url string    URL for local repository (default "http://127.0.0.1:8879/charts")
       --net-host                 install tiller with net=host
+      --service-account string   name of service account
       --skip-refresh             do not refresh (download) the local repository cache
       --stable-repo-url string   URL for stable repository (default "https://kubernetes-charts.storage.googleapis.com")
   -i, --tiller-image string      override tiller image
@@ -62,4 +63,4 @@ helm init
 ### SEE ALSO
 * [helm](helm.md)	 - The Helm package manager for Kubernetes.
 
-###### Auto generated by spf13/cobra on 18-Apr-2017
+###### Auto generated by spf13/cobra on 1-May-2017
diff --git a/docs/man/man1/helm_init.1 b/docs/man/man1/helm_init.1
index 9fea8ba40..e92c51f76 100644
--- a/docs/man/man1/helm_init.1
+++ b/docs/man/man1/helm_init.1
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.TH "HELM" "1" "Apr 2017" "Auto generated by spf13/cobra" "" 
+.TH "HELM" "1" "May 2017" "Auto generated by spf13/cobra" ""
 .nh
 .ad l
 
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ To dump a manifest containing the Tiller deployment YAML, combine the
 \fB\-\-net\-host\fP[=false]
     install tiller with net=host
 
+.PP
+\fB\-\-service\-account\fP=""
+    name of service account
+
 .PP
 \fB\-\-skip\-refresh\fP[=false]
     do not refresh (download) the local repository cache
@@ -128,4 +132,4 @@ To dump a manifest containing the Tiller deployment YAML, combine the
 
 .SH HISTORY
 .PP
-18\-Apr\-2017 Auto generated by spf13/cobra
+1\-May\-2017 Auto generated by spf13/cobra
diff --git a/scripts/completions.bash b/scripts/completions.bash
index 6d92d6324..361e67a62 100644
--- a/scripts/completions.bash
+++ b/scripts/completions.bash
@@ -640,6 +640,8 @@ _helm_init()
     local_nonpersistent_flags+=("--local-repo-url=")
     flags+=("--net-host")
     local_nonpersistent_flags+=("--net-host")
+    flags+=("--service-account=")
+    local_nonpersistent_flags+=("--service-account=")
     flags+=("--skip-refresh")
     local_nonpersistent_flags+=("--skip-refresh")
     flags+=("--stable-repo-url=")