diff --git a/drgn/cli.py b/drgn/cli.py
index 01b277bcd..05a0322f0 100644
--- a/drgn/cli.py
+++ b/drgn/cli.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 import drgn
 from drgn.internal.rlcompleter import Completer
+from drgn.internal.sudohelper import open_via_sudo
 
 __all__ = ("run_interactive", "version_header")
 
@@ -264,7 +265,10 @@ def _main() -> None:
         elif args.pid is not None:
             prog.set_pid(args.pid or os.getpid())
         else:
-            prog.set_kernel()
+            try:
+                prog.set_kernel()
+            except PermissionError:
+                prog.set_core_dump(open_via_sudo("/proc/kcore", os.O_RDONLY))
     except PermissionError as e:
         print(e, file=sys.stderr)
         if args.pid is not None:
diff --git a/drgn/internal/sudohelper.py b/drgn/internal/sudohelper.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b0f6ec27b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/drgn/internal/sudohelper.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# Copyright (c) Stephen Brennan <stephen@brennan.io>
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: LGPL-2.1-or-later
+
+"""Helper for opening a file as root and transmitting it via unix socket"""
+import array
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+import pickle
+import socket
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import tempfile
+from typing import Union
+
+
+def open_via_sudo(
+    path: Union[Path, str],
+    flags: int,
+    mode: int = 0o777,
+) -> int:
+    """Implements os.open() using sudo to get permissions"""
+    # Currently does not support dir_fd argument
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+        sockpath = Path(td) / "sock"
+        with socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_DGRAM) as sock:
+            sock.bind(str(sockpath))
+            subprocess.check_call(
+                [
+                    "sudo",
+                    sys.executable,
+                    "-B",
+                    __file__,
+                    sockpath,
+                    path,
+                    str(flags),
+                    str(mode),
+                ],
+            )
+            fds = array.array("i")
+            msg, ancdata, flags, addr = sock.recvmsg(
+                4096, socket.CMSG_SPACE(fds.itemsize)
+            )
+            for level, typ, data in ancdata:
+                if level == socket.SOL_SOCKET and typ == socket.SCM_RIGHTS:
+                    data = data[: fds.itemsize]
+                    fds.frombytes(data)
+                    return fds[0]
+            raise pickle.loads(msg)
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    sockpath = sys.argv[1]
+    filename = sys.argv[2]
+    flags = int(sys.argv[3])
+    mode = int(sys.argv[4])
+
+    sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
+    sock.connect(sockpath)
+    try:
+        fd = os.open(filename, flags, mode)
+        fds = array.array("i", [fd])
+        sock.sendmsg(
+            [b"success"],
+            [(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SCM_RIGHTS, fds)],
+        )
+    except Exception as e:
+        sock.sendmsg([pickle.dumps(e)])
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()