diff --git a/orte/orted/orted_submit.c b/orte/orted/orted_submit.c
index a1ad7d7b522..4de3de3e790 100644
--- a/orte/orted/orted_submit.c
+++ b/orte/orted/orted_submit.c
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ int orte_submit_init(int argc, char *argv[],
      * us to proceed if the allow-run-as-root flag was given. Otherwise,
      * exit with a giant warning flag
      */
-    if (0 == geteuid() && !orte_cmd_options.run_as_root) {
+    if (0 == geteuid() && !orte_cmd_options.run_as_root && getenv("OMPI_ALLOW_RUN_AS_ROOT") == NULL) {
         /* show_help is not yet available, so print an error manually */
         fprintf(stderr, "--------------------------------------------------------------------------\n");
         if (orte_cmd_options.help) {
diff --git a/orte/tools/orte-dvm/orte-dvm.c b/orte/tools/orte-dvm/orte-dvm.c
index 522c539af33..da0f84f0826 100644
--- a/orte/tools/orte-dvm/orte-dvm.c
+++ b/orte/tools/orte-dvm/orte-dvm.c
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
      * us to proceed if the allow-run-as-root flag was given. Otherwise,
      * exit with a giant warning flag
      */
-    if (0 == geteuid() && !myglobals.run_as_root) {
+    if (0 == geteuid() && !myglobals.run_as_root && getenv("OMPI_ALLOW_RUN_AS_ROOT") == NULL) {
         /* show_help is not yet available, so print an error manually */
         fprintf(stderr, "--------------------------------------------------------------------------\n");
         if (myglobals.help) {
diff --git a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
index 85aba0a0f33..d28ecd1740d 100644
--- a/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
+++ b/orte/tools/orterun/orterun.c
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ int orterun(int argc, char *argv[])
      * us to proceed if the allow-run-as-root flag was given. Otherwise,
      * exit with a giant warning flag
      */
-    if (0 == geteuid() && !orte_cmd_options.run_as_root) {
+    if (0 == geteuid() && !orte_cmd_options.run_as_root && getenv("OMPI_ALLOW_RUN_AS_ROOT") == NULL) {
         fprintf(stderr, "--------------------------------------------------------------------------\n");
         if (NULL != orte_cmd_options.help) {
             fprintf(stderr, "%s cannot provide the help message when run as root.\n", orte_basename);
diff --git a/orte/tools/prun/prun.c b/orte/tools/prun/prun.c
index 17683b803f5..5a65af744c8 100644
--- a/orte/tools/prun/prun.c
+++ b/orte/tools/prun/prun.c
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ int prun(int argc, char *argv[])
      * us to proceed if the allow-run-as-root flag was given. Otherwise,
      * exit with a giant warning flag
      */
-    if (0 == geteuid() && !orte_cmd_options.run_as_root) {
+    if (0 == geteuid() && !orte_cmd_options.run_as_root && getenv("OMPI_ALLOW_RUN_AS_ROOT") == NULL) {
         /* show_help is not yet available, so print an error manually */
         fprintf(stderr, "--------------------------------------------------------------------------\n");
         if (orte_cmd_options.help) {