diff --git a/lib/command.js b/lib/command.js
index 63c333b35..c7becedb7 100644
--- a/lib/command.js
+++ b/lib/command.js
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class Command {
         if (!this.allowRoot) {
             const checkRootUser = require('./utils/check-root-user');
             // Check if user is trying to install as `root`
-            checkRootUser();
+            checkRootUser(commandName);
         }
 
         // Set process title
diff --git a/lib/utils/check-root-user.js b/lib/utils/check-root-user.js
index c7600bd28..39191a24e 100644
--- a/lib/utils/check-root-user.js
+++ b/lib/utils/check-root-user.js
@@ -2,18 +2,41 @@
 
 const os = require('os');
 const chalk = require('chalk');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const includes = require('lodash/includes');
 
-function checkRootUser() {
-    // Skip if we're on windows
-    if (os.platform() !== 'linux') {
+const isRootInstall = function isRootInstall() {
+    const path = require('path');
+    const cliFile = path.join(process.cwd(), '.ghost-cli');
+
+    return fs.existsSync(cliFile) && fs.statSync(cliFile).uid === 0;
+}
+
+function checkRootUser(command) {
+    const allowedCommands = ['stop', 'start', 'restart'];
+    const isOneClickInstall = fs.existsSync('/root/.digitalocean_password');
+
+    if (os.platform() !== 'linux' || process.getuid() !== 0) {
         return;
     }
 
-    if (process.getuid() === 0) {
+    if (isOneClickInstall) {
+        // We have a Digitalocean one click installation
+        console.error(`${chalk.yellow('We discovered that you are using the Digitalocean One-Click install.')}
+You need to create a user with regular account privileges and migrate your installation to use this user.
+Please follow the steps here: ${chalk.underline.green('https://docs.ghost.org/docs/troubleshooting#section-fix-root-user')} to fix your setup.\n`);
+    } else if (isRootInstall()) {
+        console.error(`${chalk.yellow('It seems Ghost was installed using the root user.')}
+You need to create a user with regular account privileges and migrate your installation to use this user.
+Please follow the steps here: ${chalk.underline.green('https://docs.ghost.org/docs/troubleshooting#section-fix-root-user')} to fix your setup.\n`);
+    } else {
         console.error(`${chalk.yellow('Can\'t run command as \'root\' user.')}
-Please create a new user with regular account privileges and use this user to run the command.
-See ${chalk.underline.blue('https://docs.ghost.org/docs/install#section-create-a-new-user')} for more information`);
+Please use the user you set up in the installation process, or create a new user with regular account privileges and use this user to run 'ghost ${command}'.
+See ${chalk.underline.green('https://docs.ghost.org/docs/install#section-create-a-new-user')} for more information\n`);
+    }
 
+    // TODO: remove this 4 versions after 1.5.0
+    if (!includes(allowedCommands, command)) {
         process.exit(1);
     }
 }
diff --git a/test/unit/utils/check-root-user-spec.js b/test/unit/utils/check-root-user-spec.js
index 672fade9a..32f0bef2a 100644
--- a/test/unit/utils/check-root-user-spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/utils/check-root-user-spec.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 const expect = require('chai').expect;
 const sinon = require('sinon');
 const os = require('os');
+const fs = require('fs');
 const checkRootUser = require('../../../lib/utils/check-root-user');
 
 describe('Unit: Utils > checkRootUser', function () {
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@ describe('Unit: Utils > checkRootUser', function () {
         const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('win32');
         const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(0);
 
-        checkRootUser('test');
+        checkRootUser('install');
         expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
         expect(processStub.called).to.be.false;
     });
@@ -25,22 +26,139 @@ describe('Unit: Utils > checkRootUser', function () {
         const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('darwin');
         const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(0);
 
-        checkRootUser('test');
+        checkRootUser('doctor');
         expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
         expect(processStub.called).to.be.false;
     });
 
-    it('throws error command run with root', function () {
+    it('skips check if command run as non root user', function () {
         const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('linux');
+        const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(501);
+        const exitStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'exit').throws();
+        const errorStub = sandbox.stub(console, 'error');
+
+        checkRootUser('update');
+        expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(processStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(errorStub.calledOnce).to.be.false;
+        expect(exitStub.calledOnce).to.be.false;
+    });
+
+    it('shows special message for DigitalOcean One-Click installs', function () {
+        const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('linux');
+        const fsStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'existsSync');
         const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(0);
         const exitStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'exit').throws();
         const errorStub = sandbox.stub(console, 'error');
 
+        fsStub.withArgs('/root/.digitalocean_password').returns(true);
+        fsStub.withArgs('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli').returns(true);
+
         try {
-            checkRootUser('test');
+            checkRootUser('ls');
             throw new Error('should not be thrown');
         } catch (e) {
             expect(e.message).to.not.equal('should not be thrown');
+            expect(fsStub.calledWithExactly('/root/.digitalocean_password')).to.be.true;
+            expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(processStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(errorStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(exitStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(errorStub.args[0][0]).to.match(/We discovered that you are using the Digitalocean One-Click install./);
+        }
+    });
+
+    it('shows special message for DigitalOcean One-Click installs, but doesn\'t exit on `stop`', function () {
+        const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('linux');
+        const fsStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'existsSync');
+        const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(0);
+        const exitStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'exit').throws();
+        const errorStub = sandbox.stub(console, 'error');
+
+        fsStub.withArgs('/root/.digitalocean_password').returns(true);
+        fsStub.withArgs('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli').returns(true);
+
+        checkRootUser('stop');
+        expect(fsStub.calledWithExactly('/root/.digitalocean_password')).to.be.true;
+        expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(processStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(errorStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(exitStub.calledOnce).to.be.false;
+        expect(errorStub.args[0][0]).to.match(/We discovered that you are using the Digitalocean One-Click install./);
+    });
+
+    it('shows special message for root installs', function () {
+        const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('linux');
+        const cwdStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'cwd').returns('/var/www/ghost');
+        const fsStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'existsSync');
+        const fsStatStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'statSync').returns({uid: 0});
+        const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(0);
+        const exitStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'exit').throws();
+        const errorStub = sandbox.stub(console, 'error');
+
+        fsStub.withArgs('/root/.digitalocean_password').returns(false);
+        fsStub.withArgs('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli').returns(true);
+
+        try {
+            checkRootUser('ls');
+            throw new Error('should not be thrown');
+        } catch (e) {
+            expect(e.message).to.not.equal('should not be thrown');
+            expect(cwdStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(fsStub.calledWithExactly('/root/.digitalocean_password')).to.be.true;
+            expect(fsStub.calledWithExactly('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli')).to.be.true;
+            expect(fsStatStub.calledWithExactly('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli')).to.be.true;
+            expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(processStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(errorStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(exitStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(errorStub.args[0][0]).to.match(/It seems Ghost was installed using the root user./);
+        }
+    });
+
+    it('shows special message for root installs, but doesn\'t exit on `start`', function () {
+        const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('linux');
+        const cwdStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'cwd').returns('/var/www/ghost');
+        const fsStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'existsSync');
+        const fsStatStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'statSync').returns({uid: 0});
+        const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(0);
+        const exitStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'exit').throws();
+        const errorStub = sandbox.stub(console, 'error');
+
+        fsStub.withArgs('/root/.digitalocean_password').returns(false);
+        fsStub.withArgs('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli').returns(true);
+
+        checkRootUser('start');
+        expect(cwdStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(fsStub.calledWithExactly('/root/.digitalocean_password')).to.be.true;
+        expect(fsStub.calledWithExactly('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli')).to.be.true;
+        expect(fsStatStub.calledWithExactly('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli')).to.be.true;
+        expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(processStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(errorStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(exitStub.calledOnce).to.be.false;
+        expect(errorStub.args[0][0]).to.match(/It seems Ghost was installed using the root user./);
+    });
+
+    it('throws error command run with root for non-root installs', function () {
+        const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('linux');
+        const cwdStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'cwd').returns('/var/www/ghost');
+        const fsStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'existsSync');
+        const fsStatStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'statSync').returns({uid: 501});
+        const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(0);
+        const exitStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'exit').throws();
+        const errorStub = sandbox.stub(console, 'error');
+
+        fsStub.withArgs('/root/.digitalocean_password').returns(false);
+        fsStub.withArgs('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli').returns(true);
+
+        try {
+            checkRootUser('update');
+            throw new Error('should not be thrown');
+        } catch (e) {
+            expect(e.message).to.not.equal('should not be thrown');
+            expect(cwdStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(fsStatStub.calledWithExactly('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli')).to.be.true;
             expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
             expect(processStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
             expect(errorStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
@@ -49,16 +167,76 @@ describe('Unit: Utils > checkRootUser', function () {
         }
     });
 
-    it('doesn\'t do anything if command run as non root user', function () {
+    it('throws error command run with root for non-root installs, but doesn\'t exit on `restart`', function () {
         const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('linux');
-        const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(501);
+        const cwdStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'cwd').returns('/var/www/ghost');
+        const fsStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'existsSync');
+        const fsStatStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'statSync').returns({uid: 501});
+        const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(0);
         const exitStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'exit').throws();
         const errorStub = sandbox.stub(console, 'error');
 
-        checkRootUser('test');
+        fsStub.withArgs('/root/.digitalocean_password').returns(false);
+        fsStub.withArgs('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli').returns(true);
+
+        checkRootUser('restart');
+        expect(cwdStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(fsStatStub.calledWithExactly('/var/www/ghost/.ghost-cli')).to.be.true;
         expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
         expect(processStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
-        expect(errorStub.calledOnce).to.be.false;
+        expect(errorStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(exitStub.calledOnce).to.be.false;
+        expect(errorStub.args[0][0]).to.match(/Can't run command as 'root' user/);
+    });
+
+    it('throws error command run with root outside of valid ghost installation', function () {
+        const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('linux');
+        const cwdStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'cwd').returns('/var/www/');
+        const fsStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'existsSync');
+        const fsStatStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'statSync').returns({uid: 501});
+        const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(0);
+        const exitStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'exit').throws();
+        const errorStub = sandbox.stub(console, 'error');
+
+        fsStub.withArgs('/root/.digitalocean_password').returns(false);
+        fsStub.withArgs('/var/www/.ghost-cli').returns(false);
+
+        try {
+            checkRootUser('update');
+            throw new Error('should not be thrown');
+        } catch (e) {
+            expect(e.message).to.not.equal('should not be thrown');
+            expect(cwdStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(fsStub.calledWithExactly('/var/www/.ghost-cli')).to.be.true;
+            expect(fsStatStub.calledOnce).to.be.false;
+            expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(processStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(errorStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(exitStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+            expect(errorStub.args[0][0]).to.match(/Can't run command as 'root' user/);
+        }
+    });
+
+    it('throws error command run with root outside of valid ghost installation, but doesn\'t exit on `restart`', function () {
+        const osStub = sandbox.stub(os, 'platform').returns('linux');
+        const cwdStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'cwd').returns('/var/www/');
+        const fsStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'existsSync');
+        const fsStatStub = sandbox.stub(fs, 'statSync').returns({uid: 501});
+        const processStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'getuid').returns(0);
+        const exitStub = sandbox.stub(process, 'exit').throws();
+        const errorStub = sandbox.stub(console, 'error');
+
+        fsStub.withArgs('/root/.digitalocean_password').returns(false);
+        fsStub.withArgs('/var/www/.ghost-cli').returns(false);
+
+        checkRootUser('restart');
+        expect(cwdStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(fsStub.calledWithExactly('/var/www/.ghost-cli')).to.be.true;
+        expect(fsStatStub.calledOnce).to.be.false;
+        expect(osStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(processStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
+        expect(errorStub.calledOnce).to.be.true;
         expect(exitStub.calledOnce).to.be.false;
+        expect(errorStub.args[0][0]).to.match(/Can't run command as 'root' user/);
     });
 });