diff --git a/subiquity/controllers/filesystem.py b/subiquity/controllers/filesystem.py
index a92f134c..2694d3ef 100644
--- a/subiquity/controllers/filesystem.py
+++ b/subiquity/controllers/filesystem.py
@@ -196,12 +196,15 @@ class FilesystemController(ControllerPolicy):
     def show_disk_information(self, device):
         """ Show disk information, requires sudo/root
         """
-        out = utils.run_command("hdparm -i {}".format(device))
-        log.debug(out)
-        if out['status'] != 0:
-            result = out['err']
+        if not utils.is_root():
+            result = "hdparm requires root permission."
         else:
-            result = out['output']
+            out = utils.run_command("hdparm -i {}".format(device))
+            log.debug(out)
+            if out['status'] != 0:
+                result = out['err']
+            else:
+                result = out['output']
         disk_info_view = DiskInfoView(self.model,
                                       self.signal,
                                       result)
@@ -212,4 +215,3 @@ class FilesystemController(ControllerPolicy):
             log.debug('forcing is_uefi True beacuse of options')
             return True
         return os.path.exists('/sys/firmware/efi')
-
diff --git a/subiquity/utils.py b/subiquity/utils.py
index 2bbb4513..4f123f2b 100644
--- a/subiquity/utils.py
+++ b/subiquity/utils.py
@@ -113,3 +113,13 @@ def crypt_password(passwd, algo='SHA-512'):
     salt = 16 * ' '
     salt = ''.join([random.choice(salt_set) for c in salt])
     return crypt.crypt(passwd, algos[algo] + salt)
+
+
+def is_root():
+    """ Returns root or if sudo user exists
+    """
+    sudo_user = os.getenv('SUDO_USER', None)
+
+    if os.geteuid() != 0 or not sudo_user:
+        return False
+    return True