diff --git a/build/debian-base/Makefile b/build/debian-base/Makefile
index d9f0ac5a0c..7ab9ac5bfc 100755
--- a/build/debian-base/Makefile
+++ b/build/debian-base/Makefile
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ ALL_ARCH = amd64 arm arm64 ppc64le s390x
 TEMP_DIR:=$(shell mktemp -d)
 QEMUVERSION=v2.9.1
 
+SUDO=$(if $(filter 0,$(shell id -u)),,sudo)
+
 # This option is for running docker manifest command
 export DOCKER_CLI_EXPERIMENTAL := enabled
 
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ ifeq ($(ARCH),amd64)
 else
 	# When cross-building, only the placeholder "CROSS_BUILD_" should be removed
 	# Register /usr/bin/qemu-ARCH-static as the handler for non-x86 binaries in the kernel
-	sudo ../../third_party/multiarch/qemu-user-static/register/register.sh --reset
+	$(SUDO) ../../third_party/multiarch/qemu-user-static/register/register.sh --reset
 	curl -sSL https://github.com/multiarch/qemu-user-static/releases/download/$(QEMUVERSION)/x86_64_qemu-$(QEMUARCH)-static.tar.gz | tar -xz -C $(TEMP_DIR)
 	# Ensure we don't get surprised by umask settings
 	chmod 0755 $(TEMP_DIR)/qemu-$(QEMUARCH)-static
diff --git a/build/debian-hyperkube-base/Makefile b/build/debian-hyperkube-base/Makefile
index 53d7aa35a2..71dbd8bfca 100644
--- a/build/debian-hyperkube-base/Makefile
+++ b/build/debian-hyperkube-base/Makefile
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ CNI_TARBALL=cni-plugins-$(ARCH)-$(CNI_VERSION).tgz
 # This option is for running docker manifest command
 export DOCKER_CLI_EXPERIMENTAL := enabled
 
+SUDO=$(if $(filter 0,$(shell id -u)),,sudo)
+
 .PHONY: all build push clean all-build all-push-images all-push push-manifest
 
 all: all-push
@@ -74,7 +76,7 @@ endif
 
 ifneq ($(ARCH),amd64)
 	# Register /usr/bin/qemu-ARCH-static as the handler for non-x86 binaries in the kernel
-	sudo ../../third_party/multiarch/qemu-user-static/register/register.sh --reset
+	$(SUDO) ../../third_party/multiarch/qemu-user-static/register/register.sh --reset
 endif
 	docker build --pull -t $(IMAGE)-$(ARCH):$(TAG) $(TEMP_DIR)
 	rm -rf $(TEMP_DIR)
diff --git a/build/debian-iptables/Makefile b/build/debian-iptables/Makefile
index 56a55ebaf3..6d0438ffef 100644
--- a/build/debian-iptables/Makefile
+++ b/build/debian-iptables/Makefile
@@ -26,13 +26,15 @@ BASEIMAGE?=k8s.gcr.io/debian-base-$(ARCH):0.3.2
 # This option is for running docker manifest command
 export DOCKER_CLI_EXPERIMENTAL := enabled
 
+SUDO=$(if $(filter 0,$(shell id -u)),,sudo)
+
 build:
 	cp ./* $(TEMP_DIR)
 	cd $(TEMP_DIR) && sed -i "s|BASEIMAGE|$(BASEIMAGE)|g" Dockerfile
 
 ifneq ($(ARCH),amd64)
 	# Register /usr/bin/qemu-ARCH-static as the handler for non-x86 binaries in the kernel
-	sudo ../../third_party/multiarch/qemu-user-static/register/register.sh --reset
+	$(SUDO) ../../third_party/multiarch/qemu-user-static/register/register.sh --reset
 endif
 
 	docker build --pull -t $(IMAGE)-$(ARCH):$(TAG) $(TEMP_DIR)
diff --git a/test/images/image-util.sh b/test/images/image-util.sh
index 555fd821c1..61a57e844f 100755
--- a/test/images/image-util.sh
+++ b/test/images/image-util.sh
@@ -84,7 +84,11 @@ build() {
         ${SED} -i "s|QEMUARCH|${QEMUARCHS[$arch]}|g" Dockerfile
         # Register qemu-*-static for all supported processors except the current one
         echo "Registering qemu-*-static binaries in the kernel"
-        sudo "${KUBE_ROOT}/third_party/multiarch/qemu-user-static/register/register.sh" --reset
+        local sudo=""
+        if [[ $(id -u) != 0 ]]; then
+          sudo=sudo
+        fi
+        "${sudo}" "${KUBE_ROOT}/third_party/multiarch/qemu-user-static/register/register.sh" --reset
         curl -sSL https://github.com/multiarch/qemu-user-static/releases/download/${QEMUVERSION}/x86_64_qemu-${QEMUARCHS[$arch]}-static.tar.gz | tar -xz -C ${temp_dir}
         # Ensure we don't get surprised by umask settings
         chmod 0755 "${temp_dir}/qemu-${QEMUARCHS[$arch]}-static"