diff --git a/install_minimal/airtime-install b/install_minimal/airtime-install
index 57f912c1c..6b54a9573 100755
--- a/install_minimal/airtime-install
+++ b/install_minimal/airtime-install
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #-e Causes bash script to exit if any of the installers
 #return with a non-zero return value.
 
-if [ `whoami` != 'root' ]; then
+if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
     echo "Please run as root user."
     exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/install_minimal/airtime-uninstall b/install_minimal/airtime-uninstall
index fb5af754f..b99f04246 100755
--- a/install_minimal/airtime-uninstall
+++ b/install_minimal/airtime-uninstall
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
 #Check if root user
-if [ `whoami` != 'root' ]; then
+if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
     echo "Please run as root user."
     exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/install_minimal/include/AirtimeInstall.php b/install_minimal/include/AirtimeInstall.php
index dc5869165..35567004a 100644
--- a/install_minimal/include/AirtimeInstall.php
+++ b/install_minimal/include/AirtimeInstall.php
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class AirtimeInstall
     public static function ExitIfNotRoot()
     {
         // Need to check that we are superuser before running this.
-        if(exec("whoami") != "root"){
+        if(posix_geteuid() != 0){
             echo "Must be root user.\n";
             exit(1);
         }
diff --git a/install_minimal/include/airtime-copy-files.sh b/install_minimal/include/airtime-copy-files.sh
index ad4f571d4..57339eff5 100755
--- a/install_minimal/include/airtime-copy-files.sh
+++ b/install_minimal/include/airtime-copy-files.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #-e Causes bash script to exit if any of the installers
 #return with a non-zero return value.
 
-if [ `whoami` != 'root' ]; then
+if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
     echo "Please run as root user."
     exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/install_minimal/include/airtime-initialize.sh b/install_minimal/include/airtime-initialize.sh
index 56be18066..82b03ee88 100755
--- a/install_minimal/include/airtime-initialize.sh
+++ b/install_minimal/include/airtime-initialize.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #-e Causes bash script to exit if any of the installers
 #return with a non-zero return value.
 
-if [ `whoami` != 'root' ]; then
+if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
     echo "Please run as root user."
     exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/install_minimal/include/airtime-remove-files.sh b/install_minimal/include/airtime-remove-files.sh
index 93e9efb60..11d9f93ad 100755
--- a/install_minimal/include/airtime-remove-files.sh
+++ b/install_minimal/include/airtime-remove-files.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #-e Causes bash script to exit if any of the installers
 #return with a non-zero return value.
 
-if [ `whoami` != 'root' ]; then
+if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
     echo "Please run as root user."
     exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/install_minimal/include/airtime-uninitialize.sh b/install_minimal/include/airtime-uninitialize.sh
index d26256367..1713ae7f2 100755
--- a/install_minimal/include/airtime-uninitialize.sh
+++ b/install_minimal/include/airtime-uninitialize.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #-e Causes bash script to exit if any of the installers
 #return with a non-zero return value.
 
-if [ `whoami` != 'root' ]; then
+if [[ $EUID -ne 0 ]]; then
     echo "Please run as root user."
     exit 1
 fi
diff --git a/install_minimal/include/airtime-upgrade.php b/install_minimal/include/airtime-upgrade.php
index 5b356c225..f4d03c3c3 100644
--- a/install_minimal/include/airtime-upgrade.php
+++ b/install_minimal/include/airtime-upgrade.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ require_once(__DIR__.'/airtime-constants.php');
 require_once(dirname(__FILE__).'/AirtimeIni.php');
 require_once(dirname(__FILE__).'/AirtimeInstall.php');
 
-if(exec("whoami") != "root"){
+if(posix_geteuid() != 0){
     echo "Must be root user.\n";
     exit(1);
 }
diff --git a/utils/airtime-check-system.php b/utils/airtime-check-system.php
index 4f7237fc0..3ed877cd4 100644
--- a/utils/airtime-check-system.php
+++ b/utils/airtime-check-system.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ class AirtimeCheck {
     public static function ExitIfNotRoot()
     {
         // Need to check that we are superuser before running this.
-        $user = exec("whoami");
+        $user = posix_getlogin();
         if($user != "root" && $user != "www-data"){
             echo "Must be root user.\n";
             exit(1);
diff --git a/utils/airtime-import/airtime-import.py b/utils/airtime-import/airtime-import.py
index 083156192..6340da445 100644
--- a/utils/airtime-import/airtime-import.py
+++ b/utils/airtime-import/airtime-import.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ logging.disable(50)
 # add ch to logger
 logger.addHandler(ch)
 
-if (commands.getoutput("whoami") != 'root'):
+if (posix_geteuid() != 0):
     print 'Must be a root user.'
     sys.exit()
     
diff --git a/utils/airtime-log.php b/utils/airtime-log.php
index 476824cee..3e13ca502 100644
--- a/utils/airtime-log.php
+++ b/utils/airtime-log.php
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ array_filter($log_files, "file_exists");
 function exitIfNotRoot()
 {
     // Need to check that we are superuser before running this.
-    if(exec("whoami") != "root"){
+    if(posix_geteuid() != 0){
         echo "Must be root user.\n";
         exit(1);
     }
diff --git a/utils/phone_home_stat.php b/utils/phone_home_stat.php
index 98bc242f5..3a0e6526a 100644
--- a/utils/phone_home_stat.php
+++ b/utils/phone_home_stat.php
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ if(Application_Model_Preference::GetPlanLevel() == 'disabled'){
 function exitIfNotRoot()
 {
     // Need to check that we are superuser before running this.
-    if(exec("whoami") != "root"){
+    if(posix_geteuid() != 0){
         echo "Must be root user.\n";
         exit(1);
     }