diff --git a/src/worker/src/main.c b/src/worker/src/main.c
index 6ea6cc98..857e0a1c 100644
--- a/src/worker/src/main.c
+++ b/src/worker/src/main.c
@@ -303,8 +303,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     xce_cluster_config_t         cluster_cfg        = {0};
     int                          use_ha             = 0; /* 1 when --peers given */
 
-    check_user();
-
     signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN);
 
     struct sigaction sa;
@@ -356,41 +354,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
         custom_config_path = strdup(DEFAULT_CONFIG_PATH);
     }
 
-    if (access(custom_config_path, F_OK) == 0) {
-
-        /* load config from custom file */
-        config_result = config_load(custom_config_path);
-        if (!config_result) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "Failed to load config from %s\n",
-                    custom_config_path);
-            return -1;
-        }
-
-        if (config_result->error_code == CONFIG_SUCCESS) {
-            if (config_result->config->controller_port > 0) {
-                config.remote_port = config_result->config->controller_port;
-            }
-
-            if (config_result->config->log_dir) {
-                logdir = strdup(config_result->config->log_dir);
-            }
-
-            if (config_result->config->log_level) {
-                config.debug_level
-                    = level_to_int(config_result->config->log_level);
-            }
-
-            if (config_result->config->management_list_count > 0) {
-                config.remote_host
-                    = config_result->config->management_list[0].hostname;
-            }
-        }
-    } else {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Configuration file %s not found.\n",
-                custom_config_path);
-        return -1;
-    }
-
     static struct option long_opts[] = {
         { "peers", required_argument, NULL, OPT_PEERS },
         { "help",  no_argument,       NULL, 'h'        },
@@ -450,8 +413,47 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
                    "[-h help]\n",
                    argv[0]);
 #endif
+            return 0;
+        }
+    }
+
+    /* Performed after argument parsing so -h/--help exits immediately
+     * without requiring root privileges or a configuration file. */
+    check_user();
+
+    if (access(custom_config_path, F_OK) == 0) {
+
+        /* load config from custom file */
+        config_result = config_load(custom_config_path);
+        if (!config_result) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "Failed to load config from %s\n",
+                    custom_config_path);
             return -1;
         }
+
+        if (config_result->error_code == CONFIG_SUCCESS) {
+            if (config_result->config->controller_port > 0) {
+                config.remote_port = config_result->config->controller_port;
+            }
+
+            if (config_result->config->log_dir) {
+                logdir = strdup(config_result->config->log_dir);
+            }
+
+            if (config_result->config->log_level) {
+                config.debug_level
+                    = level_to_int(config_result->config->log_level);
+            }
+
+            if (config_result->config->management_list_count > 0) {
+                config.remote_host
+                    = config_result->config->management_list[0].hostname;
+            }
+        }
+    } else {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Configuration file %s not found.\n",
+                custom_config_path);
+        return -1;
     }
 
     /* P2.5-5: populate and validate xce_cluster_config_t when --peers given */