diff --git a/drivers/staging/pohmelfs/config.c b/drivers/staging/pohmelfs/config.c
index c9162b3f0bf3..5d04bf5b021a 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/pohmelfs/config.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/pohmelfs/config.c
@@ -531,6 +531,9 @@ static void pohmelfs_cn_callback(struct cn_msg *msg, struct netlink_skb_parms *n
 {
 	int err;
 
+	if (!cap_raised(nsp->eff_cap, CAP_SYS_ADMIN))
+		return;
+
 	switch (msg->flags) {
 		case POHMELFS_FLAGS_ADD:
 		case POHMELFS_FLAGS_DEL: