diff --git a/ns3 b/ns3
index 60d3d44bf..3b1994179 100755
--- a/ns3
+++ b/ns3
@@ -1506,7 +1506,11 @@ def run_step(args, target_to_run, target_args):
             if target_to_run in ["mpiexec", "mpirun"] and os.getenv("MPI_CI"):
                 if shutil.which("ompi_info"):
                     target_args = ["--oversubscribe"] + target_args
-                target_args = ["--allow-run-as-root"] + target_args
+                    try:
+                        subprocess.check_call([target_to_run, "--allow-run-as-root", "dir"])
+                        target_args = ["--allow-run-as-root"] + target_args
+                    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+                        pass
 
     program_arguments = [*debugging_software, target_to_run, *target_args]