diff --git a/SubSystems/Online_Cobalt/validation/validate b/SubSystems/Online_Cobalt/validation/validate
index 8940751c33c2c07aee7165ffa32fa8f5801c1c83..626b9e1d558f1db48e2cd5d079c0e12dd40e262c 100755
--- a/SubSystems/Online_Cobalt/validation/validate
+++ b/SubSystems/Online_Cobalt/validation/validate
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ source $VALIDATION_ROOT_DIR/validation_utils.sh
 
 # runTest TEST
 #
-# Runs TEST, with elevated priviledges if needed.
+# Runs TEST, with elevated privileges if needed.
 #
 function runTest() {
   TEST=$1
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ do
     $NEED_ROOT_EXIT_CODE) echo "NEED ROOT"
        NRNOTAPPLICABLE=$((NRNOTAPPLICABLE + 1))
        ;;
+    $NEED_NON_ROOT_EXIT_CODE) echo "CANNOT RUN AS ROOT"
+       NRNOTAPPLICABLE=$((NRNOTAPPLICABLE + 1))
+       ;;
     $INVALID_CLUSTER_EXIT_CODE) echo "CANNOT RUN ON THIS CLUSTER"
        NRNOTAPPLICABLE=$((NRNOTAPPLICABLE + 1))
        ;;
diff --git a/SubSystems/Online_Cobalt/validation/validation_utils.sh b/SubSystems/Online_Cobalt/validation/validation_utils.sh
index 1bc0a108466fcd1872320f8cb156cdd72b273740..8298e59f0ae1fbe45d48d06622fd7e950bdef64a 100644
--- a/SubSystems/Online_Cobalt/validation/validation_utils.sh
+++ b/SubSystems/Online_Cobalt/validation/validation_utils.sh
@@ -6,9 +6,10 @@
 # special exit codes
 #
 NEED_ROOT_EXIT_CODE=42
-INVALID_CLUSTER_EXIT_CODE=43
-INVALID_NODE_EXIT_CODE=44
-NO_GPU_EXIT_CODE=45
+NEED_NON_ROOT_EXIT_CODE=43
+INVALID_CLUSTER_EXIT_CODE=44
+INVALID_NODE_EXIT_CODE=45
+NO_GPU_EXIT_CODE=46
 
 check_root_privileges()
 {
@@ -18,6 +19,14 @@ check_root_privileges()
     fi
 }
 
+check_non_root_privileges()
+{
+    # we need not to be root! exit with special code $NEED_NON_ROOT_EXIT_CODE otherwise (see validate script).
+    if [[ `id -u` -eq 0 ]]; then
+        exit $NEED_NON_ROOT_EXIT_CODE
+    fi
+}
+
 check_running_on_cep4()
 {
     if [[ `hostname -f` != *"cep4.control.lofar" ]]; then