diff --git a/bin/tests/system/run.sh.in b/bin/tests/system/run.sh.in
index 41cd96910a..212e9ee4f1 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/run.sh.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/run.sh.in
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ srcdir=@abs_srcdir@
 # shellcheck source=conf.sh
 . ${builddir}/conf.sh
 
-if [ "$(id -u)" -eq "0" ] && [ "@DEVELOPER_MODE@" != "yes" ]; then
+if [ "$CI_SERVER" != "yes" ] && [ "$(id -u)" -eq "0" ] && [ "@DEVELOPER_MODE@" != "yes" ]; then
     echofail "Refusing to run test as root. Build with --enable-developer to override." >&2
     exit 1
 fi