diff --git a/kinit/lnusertemp.c b/kinit/lnusertemp.c
index e5ff530ff..3345c4b87 100644
--- a/kinit/lnusertemp.c
+++ b/kinit/lnusertemp.c
@@ -124,14 +124,15 @@ int build_link(const char *tmp_prefix, const char *kde_prefix, int kdehostname)
 
   if (kde_home[0] == '~')
   {
-     if (uid == 0)
-     {
-        home_dir = pw_ent->pw_dir ? pw_ent->pw_dir : "/root";
-     }
      if (!home_dir || !home_dir[0])
      {
-        fprintf(stderr, "[lnusertemp] Aborting. $HOME not set!\n");
-        return 1;
+        if ( uid == 0 ) {
+           home_dir = pw_ent->pw_dir ? pw_ent->pw_dir : "/root";
+        }
+        else {
+           fprintf(stderr, "[lnusertemp] Aborting. $HOME not set!\n");
+           return 1;
+        }
      }
      if (strlen(home_dir) > (PATH_MAX-100))
      {