diff --git a/tests/install-swtpm.sh b/tests/install-swtpm.sh
index 2666748..51aa377 100755
--- a/tests/install-swtpm.sh
+++ b/tests/install-swtpm.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-set -ex
+#!/bin/sh -ex
+
+# No need to run via sudo if we already have permissions.
+# Also, some distros do not have sudo configured for root:
+#   `root is not in the sudoers file.  This incident will be reported.'
+if [ -w /usr/local/bin ]; then
+	SUDO=
+else
+	SUDO=sudo
+fi
 
 version=1637
 
@@ -9,5 +17,5 @@ cd ibmtpm$version
 tar --no-same-owner -xvzf ../download
 cd src
 make -j$(nproc)
-sudo cp tpm_server /usr/local/bin/
+$SUDO cp tpm_server /usr/local/bin/
 cd ../..