diff --git a/tests/TEST_basic.sh b/tests/TEST_basic.sh
index 76c64903f8415b22fa4c29d29e5bf2bea5bda9a4..d128f8ddc2e7cbbd8f1b5165e4e6531e45742f40 100755
--- a/tests/TEST_basic.sh
+++ b/tests/TEST_basic.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ TESTNAME=basic
 . _common.sh
 
 # (CI runs as root, and root is auto-added by databse creation)
-if [[ "$USER" -ne "root" ]]; then
+if [[ "x$USER" != "xroot" ]]; then
 	# Ensure that the databse doesn't already contain the current user
 	# - 1. Protects against running the test against the production database
 	# - 2. Allows adding the current user as an admin