diff --git a/Shorewall-common/shorewall b/Shorewall-common/shorewall
index b92164621..444df613c 100755
--- a/Shorewall-common/shorewall
+++ b/Shorewall-common/shorewall
@@ -261,8 +261,10 @@ compiler() {
 
     shift
     
-    if [ -z "$EXPORT" -a $(id -u) -ne 0 -a -z "$SHOREWALL_DIR" ]; then
-	startup_error "Ordinary users may only comple for export (-e option) or from a specified directory"
+    if [ $(id -u) -ne 0 ]; then
+	if [ -z "$SHOREWALL_DIR" -o "$SHOREWALL_DIR" = /etc/shorewall ]; then
+	    startup_error "Ordinary users may not compile the /etc/shorewall configuration"
+	fi
     fi
     #
     # We've now set SHOREWALL_DIR so recalculate CONFIG_PATH