diff --git a/src/plugins/proctrack/aix/proctrack_aix.c b/src/plugins/proctrack/aix/proctrack_aix.c
index 134522a341d89a3fff6ef28d35608c0fcba19ff8..e2bcf68f2eeff969f8b7fccda6f9e91a2cea1582 100644
--- a/src/plugins/proctrack/aix/proctrack_aix.c
+++ b/src/plugins/proctrack/aix/proctrack_aix.c
@@ -103,6 +103,11 @@ extern int init ( void )
 		return SLURM_ERROR;
 	}
 
+	if ((pid_t)0 != getuid()) {
+		error("proctrack/aix requires the slurmd to run as root.");
+		return SLURM_ERROR;
+	}
+
 	return SLURM_SUCCESS;
 }