diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/tc-testing/plugin-lib/rootPlugin.py b/tools/testing/selftests/tc-testing/plugin-lib/rootPlugin.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e36775bd4d12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/tc-testing/plugin-lib/rootPlugin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import os
+import sys
+from TdcPlugin import TdcPlugin
+
+from tdc_config import *
+
+
+class SubPlugin(TdcPlugin):
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.sub_class = 'root/SubPlugin'
+        super().__init__()
+
+    def pre_suite(self, testcount, testidlist):
+        # run commands before test_runner goes into a test loop
+        super().pre_suite(testcount, testidlist)
+
+        if os.geteuid():
+            print('This script must be run with root privileges', file=sys.stderr)
+            exit(1)
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/tc-testing/tdc.py b/tools/testing/selftests/tc-testing/tdc.py
index 3e6f9f2e1691..a718d2b57739 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/tc-testing/tdc.py
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/tc-testing/tdc.py
@@ -579,10 +579,6 @@ def set_operation_mode(pm, args):
             list_test_cases(alltests)
             exit(0)
 
-    if (os.geteuid() != 0):
-        print("This script must be run with root privileges.\n")
-        exit(1)
-
     ns_create(args, pm)
 
     if len(alltests):