diff --git a/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_init.c b/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_init.c
index 7f40857..cf58c01 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_init.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_init.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ static Bool KeepTty = FALSE;
 static int VTnum = -1;
 static Bool VTSwitch = TRUE;
 static Bool ShareVTs = FALSE;
+Bool NoHwAccess = FALSE;
 static int activeVT = -1;
 
 static int vtPermSave[4];
@@ -80,9 +81,11 @@ saveVtPerms(void)
 static void
 restoreVtPerms(void)
 {
-    /* Set the terminal permissions back to before we started. */
-    chown("/dev/tty0", vtPermSave[0], vtPermSave[1]);
-    chown(vtname, vtPermSave[2], vtPermSave[3]);
+    if (geteuid() == 0) {
+	 /* Set the terminal permissions back to before we started. */
+	 (void)chown("/dev/tty0", vtPermSave[0], vtPermSave[1]);
+	 (void)chown(vtname, vtPermSave[2], vtPermSave[3]);
+    }
 }
 
 static void *console_handler;
@@ -210,20 +213,22 @@ xf86OpenConsole(void)
 	        xf86Msg(X_WARNING,
 		        "xf86OpenConsole: Could not save ownership of VT\n");
 
-	    /* change ownership of the vt */
-	    if (chown(vtname, getuid(), getgid()) < 0)
-	        xf86Msg(X_WARNING,"xf86OpenConsole: chown %s failed: %s\n",
-		        vtname, strerror(errno));
-
-	    /*
-	     * the current VT device we're running on is not "console", we want
-	     * to grab all consoles too
-	     *
-	     * Why is this needed??
-	     */
-	    if (chown("/dev/tty0", getuid(), getgid()) < 0)
-	        xf86Msg(X_WARNING,"xf86OpenConsole: chown /dev/tty0 failed: %s\n",
-                    strerror(errno));
+	    if (geteuid() == 0) {
+		    /* change ownership of the vt */
+		    if (chown(vtname, getuid(), getgid()) < 0)
+			    xf86Msg(X_WARNING,"xf86OpenConsole: chown %s failed: %s\n",
+				    vtname, strerror(errno));
+
+		    /*
+		     * the current VT device we're running on is not
+		     * "console", we want to grab all consoles too
+		     *
+		     * Why is this needed??
+		     */
+		    if (chown("/dev/tty0", getuid(), getgid()) < 0)
+			    xf86Msg(X_WARNING,"xf86OpenConsole: chown /dev/tty0 failed: %s\n",
+				    strerror(errno));
+	    }
         }
 
 	/*
@@ -433,6 +438,11 @@ xf86ProcessArgument(int argc, char *argv[], int i)
                 ShareVTs = TRUE;
                 return(1);
         }
+	if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-nohwaccess"))
+	{
+		NoHwAccess = TRUE;
+		return(1);
+	}
 	if ((argv[i][0] == 'v') && (argv[i][1] == 't'))
 	{
 		if (sscanf(argv[i], "vt%2d", &VTnum) == 0)
@@ -454,5 +464,6 @@ xf86UseMsg()
 	ErrorF("don't detach controlling tty (for debugging only)\n");
         ErrorF("-novtswitch            don't immediately switch to new VT\n");
         ErrorF("-sharevts              share VTs with another X server\n");
+	ErrorF("-nohwaccess            don't access hardware ports directly\n");
 	return;
 }
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_video.c b/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_video.c
index 688106a..34a845b 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_video.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/os-support/linux/lnx_video.c
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 #define MAP_FAILED ((void *)-1)
 #endif
 
+extern Bool NoHwAccess;
 static Bool ExtendedEnabled = FALSE;
 
 #ifdef __ia64__
@@ -509,6 +510,9 @@ xf86EnableIO(void)
 	int fd;
 	unsigned int ioBase_phys;
 #endif
+	/* Fake it... */
+	if (NoHwAccess)
+		return TRUE;
 
 	if (ExtendedEnabled)
 		return TRUE;