diff --git a/packaging/deb/init.d/grafana-server b/packaging/deb/init.d/grafana-server
index 61e82d4c612..d01778560f7 100755
--- a/packaging/deb/init.d/grafana-server
+++ b/packaging/deb/init.d/grafana-server
@@ -37,14 +37,8 @@ MAX_OPEN_FILES=10000
 PID_FILE=/var/run/$NAME.pid
 DAEMON=/usr/sbin/$NAME
 
-
 umask 0027
 
-if [ `id -u` -ne 0 ]; then
-	echo "You need root privileges to run this script"
-	exit 4
-fi
-
 if [ ! -x $DAEMON ]; then
   echo "Program not installed or not executable"
   exit 5
@@ -63,9 +57,16 @@ fi
 
 DAEMON_OPTS="--pidfile=${PID_FILE} --config=${CONF_FILE} cfg:default.paths.data=${DATA_DIR} cfg:default.paths.logs=${LOG_DIR} cfg:default.paths.plugins=${PLUGINS_DIR}"
 
+function checkUser() {
+  if [ `id -u` -ne 0 ]; then
+  	echo "You need root privileges to run this script"
+  	exit 4
+  fi
+}
+
 case "$1" in
   start)
-
+  checkUser
 	log_daemon_msg "Starting $DESC"
 
 	pid=`pidofproc -p $PID_FILE grafana`
@@ -112,6 +113,7 @@ case "$1" in
   log_end_msg $return
 	;;
   stop)
+  checkUser
 	log_daemon_msg "Stopping $DESC"
 
 	if [ -f "$PID_FILE" ]; then
diff --git a/packaging/rpm/init.d/grafana-server b/packaging/rpm/init.d/grafana-server
index cb9bb73de7d..a9e2988bdb7 100755
--- a/packaging/rpm/init.d/grafana-server
+++ b/packaging/rpm/init.d/grafana-server
@@ -36,11 +36,6 @@ MAX_OPEN_FILES=10000
 PID_FILE=/var/run/$NAME.pid
 DAEMON=/usr/sbin/$NAME
 
-if [ `id -u` -ne 0 ]; then
-  echo "You need root privileges to run this script"
-  exit 4
-fi
-
 if [ ! -x $DAEMON ]; then
   echo "Program not installed or not executable"
   exit 5
@@ -70,8 +65,16 @@ function isRunning() {
   status -p $PID_FILE $NAME > /dev/null 2>&1
 }
 
+function checkUser() {
+  if [ `id -u` -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo "You need root privileges to run this script"
+    exit 4
+  fi
+}
+
 case "$1" in
   start)
+    checkUser
     isRunning
     if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
       echo "Already running."
@@ -115,6 +118,7 @@ case "$1" in
     exit $return
     ;;
   stop)
+    checkUser
     echo -n "Stopping $DESC: ..."
 
     if [ -f "$PID_FILE" ]; then