diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
index 7ed5f94803..81ef0357e7 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_capabilities.c
@@ -4524,7 +4524,8 @@ virQEMUCapsInitQMPCommandRun(virQEMUCapsInitQMPCommandPtr cmd,
 #if WITH_CAPNG
     /* QEMU might run into permission issues, e.g. /dev/sev (0600), override
      * them just for the purpose of probing */
-    virCommandAllowCap(cmd->cmd, CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE);
+    if (geteuid() == 0)
+        virCommandAllowCap(cmd->cmd, CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE);
 #endif
 
     virCommandSetGID(cmd->cmd, cmd->runGid);