diff --git a/mysql-test/main/bad_startup_options.test b/mysql-test/main/bad_startup_options.test
index bd0b6283854..e758d786049 100644
--- a/mysql-test/main/bad_startup_options.test
+++ b/mysql-test/main/bad_startup_options.test
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# mysqld refuses to run as root normally.
+--source include/not_as_root.inc
+
 --source include/not_embedded.inc
 --source include/have_ssl_communication.inc