diff --git a/crypto/threads/mttest.c b/crypto/threads/mttest.c
index d0e088218b..f6f3df4b6a 100644
--- a/crypto/threads/mttest.c
+++ b/crypto/threads/mttest.c
@@ -267,7 +267,8 @@ bad:
 		goto end;
 		}
 
-	if (cipher == NULL) cipher=getenv("SSL_CIPHER");
+	if (cipher == NULL && OPENSSL_issetugid() == 0)
+		cipher=getenv("SSL_CIPHER");
 
 	SSL_load_error_strings();
 	OpenSSL_add_ssl_algorithms();