diff --git a/projects/extension/sql/idempotent/013-vectorizer-api.sql b/projects/extension/sql/idempotent/013-vectorizer-api.sql
index 162a97384..678a033fe 100644
--- a/projects/extension/sql/idempotent/013-vectorizer-api.sql
+++ b/projects/extension/sql/idempotent/013-vectorizer-api.sql
@@ -69,20 +69,30 @@ begin
     end if;
 
     -- get source table name and schema name
-    select k.relname, n.nspname, pg_catalog.pg_has_role(pg_catalog.current_user(), k.relowner, 'MEMBER')
+    select
+      k.relname
+    , n.nspname
+    , pg_catalog.pg_has_role(pg_catalog.current_user(), k.relowner, 'MEMBER')
     into strict _source_table, _source_schema, _is_owner
     from pg_catalog.pg_class k
     inner join pg_catalog.pg_namespace n on (k.relnamespace operator(pg_catalog.=) n.oid)
     where k.oid operator(pg_catalog.=) source
     ;
+    -- not an owner of the table, but superuser?
+    if not _is_owner then
+        select r.rolsuper into strict _is_owner
+        from pg_catalog.pg_roles r
+        where r.rolname operator(pg_catalog.=) pg_catalog.current_user()
+        ;
+    end if;
 
     if not _is_owner then
-        raise exception 'only the owner of the source table may create a vectorizer on it';
+        raise exception 'only a superuser or the owner of the source table may create a vectorizer on it';
     end if;
 
     select (embedding operator(pg_catalog.->) 'dimensions')::int into _dimensions;
     if _dimensions is null then
-        raise exception '_dimensions argument is required';
+        raise exception 'dimensions argument is required';
     end if;
 
     -- get the source table's primary key definition
diff --git a/projects/extension/tests/vectorizer/test_vectorizer.py b/projects/extension/tests/vectorizer/test_vectorizer.py
index 040ae1c82..3f5dd6eb6 100644
--- a/projects/extension/tests/vectorizer/test_vectorizer.py
+++ b/projects/extension/tests/vectorizer/test_vectorizer.py
@@ -1662,3 +1662,104 @@ def test_queue_pending():
             # a non-exact count should yield 9223372036854775807
             cur.execute("select ai.vectorizer_queue_pending(%s)", (vectorizer_id,))
             assert cur.fetchone()[0] == 9223372036854775807
+
+
+def create_user(cur: psycopg.Cursor, user: str) -> None:
+    cur.execute(
+        """
+        select count(*) > 0
+        from pg_catalog.pg_roles
+        where rolname = %s
+    """,
+        (user,),
+    )
+    if not cur.fetchone()[0]:
+        cur.execute(f"create user {user}")
+
+
+def test_create_vectorizer_privs():
+    with psycopg.connect(db_url("postgres")) as con:
+        with con.cursor() as cur:
+            create_user(cur, "jimmy")
+            cur.execute("grant create on schema public to jimmy")
+            cur.execute("select ai.grant_ai_usage('jimmy', admin=>false)")
+            create_user(cur, "greg")
+            cur.execute("select ai.grant_ai_usage('greg', admin=>false)")
+
+    # jimmy owns the source table
+    with psycopg.connect(db_url("jimmy")) as con:
+        with con.cursor() as cur:
+            cur.execute("""
+            create table priv_test
+            ( id int not null primary key generated always as identity
+            , foo text
+            , bar text
+            )
+            """)
+
+    # greg does not own the table, does not own the database, and is not superuser
+    # this should fail
+    with psycopg.connect(db_url("greg")) as con:
+        with con.cursor() as cur:
+            with pytest.raises(
+                psycopg.errors.RaiseException,
+                match=".*only a superuser or the owner of the source table may create a vectorizer on it",
+            ):
+                cur.execute("""
+                select ai.create_vectorizer
+                ( 'priv_test'::regclass
+                , embedding=>ai.embedding_openai('text-embedding-3-small', 3)
+                , chunking=>ai.chunking_character_text_splitter('foo')
+                , scheduling=>ai.scheduling_none()
+                , indexing=>ai.indexing_none()
+                , grant_to=>null
+                );
+                """)
+
+    # test owns the database, but not the table, and is not superuser
+    # this should not work
+    with psycopg.connect(db_url("test")) as con:
+        with con.cursor() as cur:
+            with pytest.raises(
+                psycopg.errors.RaiseException,
+                match=".*only a superuser or the owner of the source table may create a vectorizer on it",
+            ):
+                cur.execute("""
+                select ai.create_vectorizer
+                ( 'priv_test'::regclass
+                , embedding=>ai.embedding_openai('text-embedding-3-small', 3)
+                , chunking=>ai.chunking_character_text_splitter('foo')
+                , scheduling=>ai.scheduling_none()
+                , indexing=>ai.indexing_none()
+                , grant_to=>null
+                );
+                """)
+
+    # jimmy owns the table. this should work
+    with psycopg.connect(db_url("jimmy")) as con:
+        with con.cursor() as cur:
+            cur.execute("""
+            select ai.create_vectorizer
+            ( 'priv_test'::regclass
+            , embedding=>ai.embedding_openai('text-embedding-3-small', 3)
+            , chunking=>ai.chunking_character_text_splitter('foo')
+            , scheduling=>ai.scheduling_none()
+            , indexing=>ai.indexing_none()
+            , grant_to=>null
+            );
+            """)
+
+    # postgres is superuser. this should work
+    with psycopg.connect(db_url("postgres")) as con:
+        with con.cursor() as cur:
+            cur.execute("""
+            select ai.create_vectorizer
+            ( 'priv_test'::regclass
+            , destination=>'red_balloon'
+            , embedding=>ai.embedding_openai('text-embedding-3-small', 3)
+            , chunking=>ai.chunking_character_text_splitter('foo')
+            , scheduling=>ai.scheduling_none()
+            , indexing=>ai.indexing_none()
+            , grant_to=>null
+            );
+            """)