diff --git a/mysql-test/include/not_as_root.inc b/mysql-test/include/not_as_root.inc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..315963d824e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/include/not_as_root.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+-- require r/not_as_root.require
+disable_query_log;
+select $MYSQL_TEST_ROOT as running_as_root;
+enable_query_log;
diff --git a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
index a045441e046..9a801884855 100755
--- a/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
+++ b/mysql-test/mysql-test-run.pl
@@ -338,6 +338,7 @@ sub environment_setup ();
 sub kill_running_server ();
 sub kill_and_cleanup ();
 sub check_ssl_support ();
+sub check_running_as_root();
 sub check_ndbcluster_support ();
 sub ndbcluster_install ();
 sub ndbcluster_start ($);
@@ -376,6 +377,7 @@ sub main () {
 
   check_ndbcluster_support();
   check_ssl_support();
+  check_running_as_root();
 
   environment_setup();
   signal_setup();
@@ -1337,6 +1339,33 @@ sub kill_and_cleanup () {
 }
 
 
+sub  check_running_as_root () {
+  # Check if running as root
+  # i.e a file can be read regardless what mode we set it to
+  my $test_file= "test_running_as_root.txt";
+  mtr_tofile($test_file, "MySQL");
+  chmod(oct("0000"), $test_file);
+
+  my $result="";
+  if (open(FILE,"<",$test_file))
+  {
+    $result= join('', <FILE>);
+    close FILE;
+  }
+
+  chmod(oct("0755"), $test_file);
+  unlink($test_file);
+
+  $ENV{'MYSQL_TEST_ROOT'}= "NO";
+  if ($result eq "MySQL")
+  {
+    mtr_warning("running this script as _root_ will cause some " .
+                "tests to be skipped");
+    $ENV{'MYSQL_TEST_ROOT'}= "YES";
+  }
+}
+
+
 
 sub check_ssl_support () {
 
diff --git a/mysql-test/r/not_as_root.require b/mysql-test/r/not_as_root.require
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d9ea5244efc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mysql-test/r/not_as_root.require
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+running_as_root
+NO
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/information_schema.test b/mysql-test/t/information_schema.test
index 47f262a9d59..90b0fd95eee 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/information_schema.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/information_schema.test
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 # This test  uses grants, which can't get tested for embedded server
 -- source include/not_embedded.inc
 
+# This test uses chmod, can't be run with root permissions
+-- source include/not_as_root.inc
+
 # Test for information_schema.schemata &
 # show databases
 
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/rpl_rotate_logs.test b/mysql-test/t/rpl_rotate_logs.test
index 77a8fb7d9a4..ee49f92910a 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/rpl_rotate_logs.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/rpl_rotate_logs.test
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+# This test uses chmod, can't be run with root permissions
+-- source include/not_as_root.inc
+
 #
 # Test is run with max_binlog_size=2048 to force automatic rotation of the
 # binary log