diff --git a/paunch/tests/test_utils_systemd.py b/paunch/tests/test_utils_systemd.py
index bff360a..1e258a9 100644
--- a/paunch/tests/test_utils_systemd.py
+++ b/paunch/tests/test_utils_systemd.py
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ class TestUtilsSystemd(base.TestCase):
         unit = open(sysd_unit_f, 'rt').read()
 
         self.assertIn('Requisite=tripleo_my_app.service', unit)
-        self.assertIn('ExecStart=/usr/bin/podman exec my_app '
+        self.assertIn('ExecStart=/usr/bin/podman exec --user root my_app '
                       '/openstack/healthcheck', unit)
         mock_chmod.assert_has_calls([mock.call(sysd_unit_f, 420)])
 
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ class TestUtilsSystemd(base.TestCase):
 
         systemd.healthcheck_create(container, tempdir, test=check)
         unit = open(sysd_unit_f, 'rt').read()
-        self.assertIn('ExecStart=/usr/bin/podman exec my_app '
+        self.assertIn('ExecStart=/usr/bin/podman exec --user root my_app '
                       '/foo/bar baz', unit)
 
     @mock.patch('subprocess.check_call', autospec=True)
diff --git a/paunch/utils/systemd.py b/paunch/utils/systemd.py
index d6f4f3b..4ae4c45 100644
--- a/paunch/utils/systemd.py
+++ b/paunch/utils/systemd.py
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ After=paunch-container-shutdown.service %(service)s.service
 Requisite=%(service)s.service
 [Service]
 Type=oneshot
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/podman exec %(name)s %(test)s
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/podman exec --user root %(name)s %(test)s
 SyslogIdentifier=healthcheck_%(name)s
 [Install]
 WantedBy=multi-user.target