diff --git a/tailbone/templates/themes/butterball/base.mako b/tailbone/templates/themes/butterball/base.mako
index 3f0253ce..339d23bd 100644
--- a/tailbone/templates/themes/butterball/base.mako
+++ b/tailbone/templates/themes/butterball/base.mako
@@ -924,9 +924,23 @@
         % endif
         <div class="navbar-dropdown">
           % if request.is_root:
-              ${h.link_to("Stop being root", url('stop_root'), class_='navbar-item has-background-danger has-text-white')}
+              ${h.form(url('stop_root'), ref='stopBeingRootForm')}
+              ${h.csrf_token(request)}
+              <input type="hidden" name="referrer" value="${request.current_route_url()}" />
+              <a @click="stopBeingRoot()"
+                 class="navbar-item has-background-danger has-text-white">
+                Stop being root
+              </a>
+              ${h.end_form()}
           % elif request.is_admin:
-              ${h.link_to("Become root", url('become_root'), class_='navbar-item has-background-danger has-text-white')}
+              ${h.form(url('become_root'), ref='startBeingRootForm')}
+              ${h.csrf_token(request)}
+              <input type="hidden" name="referrer" value="${request.current_route_url()}" />
+              <a @click="startBeingRoot()"
+                 class="navbar-item has-background-danger has-text-white">
+                Become root
+              </a>
+              ${h.end_form()}
           % endif
           % if messaging_enabled:
               ${h.link_to("Messages{}".format(" ({})".format(inbox_count) if inbox_count else ''), url('messages.inbox'), class_='navbar-item')}
@@ -1109,6 +1123,18 @@
                 const key = 'menu_' + hash + '_shown'
                 this[key] = !this[key]
             },
+
+            % if request.is_admin:
+
+                startBeingRoot() {
+                    this.$refs.startBeingRootForm.submit()
+                },
+
+                stopBeingRoot() {
+                    this.$refs.stopBeingRootForm.submit()
+                },
+
+            % endif
         },
     }
 
diff --git a/tailbone/views/auth.py b/tailbone/views/auth.py
index 7ecdc6cd..730d7b6a 100644
--- a/tailbone/views/auth.py
+++ b/tailbone/views/auth.py
@@ -238,6 +238,9 @@ class AuthenticationView(View):
         config.add_view(cls, attr='change_password', route_name='change_password', renderer='/change_password.mako')
 
         # become/stop root
+        # TODO: these should require POST but i won't bother until
+        # after butterball becomes default theme..or probably should
+        # just refactor the falafel theme accordingly..?
         config.add_route('become_root', '/root/yes')
         config.add_view(cls, attr='become_root', route_name='become_root')
         config.add_route('stop_root', '/root/no')