diff -r -C 2 libnss-pgsql-1.4.0.orig/src/backend.c libnss-pgsql-1.4.0/src/backend.c
*** libnss-pgsql-1.4.0.orig/src/backend.c       2007-11-23 19:44:10.000000000 +0100
--- libnss-pgsql-1.4.0/src/backend.c    2007-11-23 19:44:44.000000000 +0100
***************
*** 74,77 ****
--- 74,80 ----
                                }
                                _shadowconn = PQconnectdb(getcfg("shadowconnectionstring"));
+                       } else if (errno == EACCES) {
+                               /* very likely we are not root and are simply not allowd to read shadow */
+                               return 0;
                        }