diff --git a/bin/nova-manage b/bin/nova-manage
index 552186987496..f636c947cd2f 100755
--- a/bin/nova-manage
+++ b/bin/nova-manage
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 """
 
 import ast
+import errno
 import gettext
 import glob
 import json
@@ -2387,8 +2388,14 @@ def main():
         except Exception:
             print 'sudo failed, continuing as if nothing happened'
 
-    argv = FLAGS(sys.argv)
-    logging.setup()
+    try:
+        argv = FLAGS(sys.argv)
+        logging.setup()
+    except IOError, e:
+        if e.errno == errno.EACCES:
+            print _('Please re-run nova-manage as root.')
+            sys.exit(2)
+        raise
 
     script_name = argv.pop(0)
     if len(argv) < 1: