diff --git a/src/groundlight/client.py b/src/groundlight/client.py
index 35eca62b..832632a4 100644
--- a/src/groundlight/client.py
+++ b/src/groundlight/client.py
@@ -166,6 +166,11 @@ def _verify_connectivity(self) -> None:
         try:
             # a simple query to confirm that the endpoint & API token are working
             self.whoami()
+            if self._user_is_privileged():
+                logger.warning(
+                    "WARNING: The current user has elevated permissions. Please verify such permissions are necessary"
+                    " for your current operation"
+                )
         except UnauthorizedException as e:
             msg = (
                 f"Invalid API token '{self.api_token_prefix}...' connecting to endpoint "
@@ -201,6 +206,14 @@ def whoami(self) -> str:
         obj = self.user_api.who_am_i()
         return obj["username"]
 
+    def _user_is_privileged(self) -> bool:
+        """
+        Return a boolean indicating whether the user is privileged.
+        Privleged users have elevated permissions, so care should be taken when using a privileged account.
+        """
+        obj = self.user_api.who_am_i()
+        return obj["is_superuser"] or obj["is_staff"]
+
     def get_detector(self, id: Union[str, Detector]) -> Detector:  # pylint: disable=redefined-builtin
         """
         Get a detector by id
diff --git a/test/unit/conftest.py b/test/unit/conftest.py
index 49550bde..472d0c85 100644
--- a/test/unit/conftest.py
+++ b/test/unit/conftest.py
@@ -5,6 +5,15 @@
 from model import Detector, ImageQuery
 
 
+def pytest_configure(config):
+    # Run environment check before tests
+    gl = Groundlight()
+    if gl._user_is_privileged():
+        raise Exception(
+            "ERROR: You are running tests with a privileged user. Please run tests with a non-privileged user."
+        )
+
+
 @pytest.fixture(name="gl")
 def fixture_gl() -> Groundlight:
     """Creates a Groundlight client object for testing."""