diff --git a/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py b/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
index 00dc7da275a43..52eaee8e9280c 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
+++ b/src/bootstrap/bootstrap.py
@@ -1172,9 +1172,9 @@ def check_vendored_status(self):
         """Check that vendoring is configured properly"""
         vendor_dir = os.path.join(self.rust_root, 'vendor')
         if 'SUDO_USER' in os.environ and not self.use_vendored_sources:
-            if os.environ.get('USER') != os.environ['SUDO_USER']:
+            if os.getuid() == 0:
                 self.use_vendored_sources = True
-                print('info: looks like you are running this command under `sudo`')
+                print('info: looks like you\'re trying to run this command as root')
                 print('      and so in order to preserve your $HOME this will now')
                 print('      use vendored sources by default.')
                 if not os.path.exists(vendor_dir):