diff --git a/lib/installedtest.pm b/lib/installedtest.pm
index b9773a16..7347cd5b 100644
--- a/lib/installedtest.pm
+++ b/lib/installedtest.pm
@@ -10,14 +10,24 @@ use testapi;
 use utils;
 
 sub root_console {
-    # Switch to a default or specified TTY and log in as root.
+    # Switch to a default or specified TTY and log in as root, or
+    # log in as regular user and sudo if no root password.
     my $self = shift;
     my %args = (
         tty => 1, # what TTY to login to
         @_);
 
     send_key "ctrl-alt-f$args{tty}";
-    console_login;
+    if (get_var("ROOT_PASSWORD") eq "false") {
+        console_login(user=>get_var("USER_LOGIN", "test"), password=>get_var("USER_PASSWORD", "weakpassword"));
+        type_string "sudo su";
+        type_string get_var("USER_PASSWORD", "weakpassword");
+        send_key "ret";
+        assert_screen "root_console";
+    }
+    else {
+        console_login;
+    }
 }
 
 sub post_fail_hook {
diff --git a/main.pm b/main.pm
index b87ea818..e36948dc 100644
--- a/main.pm
+++ b/main.pm
@@ -148,7 +148,8 @@ sub load_install_tests() {
     # respins, so we can't just do this in the templates yet, sadly.
     if (get_var('LIVE') && get_var('DESKTOP') eq 'gnome') {
         set_var('ROOT_PASSWORD', 'false');
-        set_var('USER_LOGIN', 'false');
+        # this is effectively a forced install_no_user
+        set_var('INSTALL_NO_USER', 'false');
     }
 
     if (get_var('ANACONDA_TEXT')) {