diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/functions.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/functions.sh
index 31eb09e38729520926ab784648af744d9d172eb1..a6e3d5517a6fa0378b164bbd41e2c8f754602f00 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/functions.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/functions.sh
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 MAX_RETRIES=600
 RETRY_INTERVAL=".1"	# seconds
 
+# Kselftest framework requirement - SKIP code is 4
+ksft_skip=4
+
 # log(msg) - write message to kernel log
 #	msg - insightful words
 function log() {
@@ -18,7 +21,16 @@ function log() {
 function skip() {
 	log "SKIP: $1"
 	echo "SKIP: $1" >&2
-	exit 4
+	exit $ksft_skip
+}
+
+# root test
+function is_root() {
+	uid=$(id -u)
+	if [ $uid -ne 0 ]; then
+		echo "skip all tests: must be run as root" >&2
+		exit $ksft_skip
+	fi
 }
 
 # die(msg) - game over, man
@@ -62,6 +74,7 @@ function set_ftrace_enabled() {
 #		 for verbose livepatching output and turn on
 #		 the ftrace_enabled sysctl.
 function setup_config() {
+	is_root
 	push_config
 	set_dynamic_debug
 	set_ftrace_enabled 1
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/test-state.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/test-state.sh
index dc2908c22c265fc0f3c4b8b4022da94c839a1a03..a082127081157de7f04a1f91e29d4f43b795d54b 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/test-state.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/livepatch/test-state.sh
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@ MOD_LIVEPATCH=test_klp_state
 MOD_LIVEPATCH2=test_klp_state2
 MOD_LIVEPATCH3=test_klp_state3
 
-set_dynamic_debug
-
+setup_config
 
 # TEST: Loading and removing a module that modifies the system state