diff --git a/oam/install_scripts/pre-uninstall b/oam/install_scripts/pre-uninstall
index 8254b2f5b..1e50b1a35 100755
--- a/oam/install_scripts/pre-uninstall
+++ b/oam/install_scripts/pre-uninstall
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ prefix=/usr/local
 installdir=$prefix/mariadb/columnstore
 rpmmode=install
 SUDO=" "
+user=root
 if [ $USER != "root" ]; then
         user=$USER
         SUDO="sudo "