diff --git a/landscape/client/configuration.py b/landscape/client/configuration.py
index 32dfc431c..cc0433aab 100644
--- a/landscape/client/configuration.py
+++ b/landscape/client/configuration.py
@@ -937,6 +937,9 @@ def main(args, print=print):  # noqa: C901
         print_text(str(error), error=True)
         sys.exit(1)
 
+    if os.getuid() != 0:
+        sys.exit("landscape-config must be run as root.")
+
     init_app_logging(
         config.log_dir,
         config.log_level,
@@ -983,9 +986,6 @@ def main(args, print=print):  # noqa: C901
         else:
             sys.exit(EXIT_NOT_REGISTERED)
 
-    if os.getuid() != 0:
-        sys.exit("landscape-config must be run as root.")
-
     if config.init:
         bootstrap_tree(config)
         sys.exit(0)
diff --git a/landscape/client/tests/test_configuration.py b/landscape/client/tests/test_configuration.py
index 4dd78841d..ffb2b17ac 100644
--- a/landscape/client/tests/test_configuration.py
+++ b/landscape/client/tests/test_configuration.py
@@ -2354,6 +2354,7 @@ def setUp(self):
         """,
         )
 
+        self.mock_getuid = mock.patch("os.getuid", return_value=0).start()
         mock.patch("landscape.client.configuration.init_app_logging").start()
 
         self.addCleanup(mock.patch.stopall)
@@ -2434,6 +2435,7 @@ def setUp(self):
         """,
         )
 
+        self.mock_getuid = mock.patch("os.getuid", return_value=0).start()
         mock.patch("landscape.client.configuration.init_app_logging").start()
 
         self.addCleanup(mock.patch.stopall)