diff --git a/2.2/docker-entrypoint.sh b/2.2/docker-entrypoint.sh
index a0eacda24f..caf982b5d6 100755
--- a/2.2/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/2.2/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -5,15 +5,17 @@ if [ "${1:0:1}" = '-' ]; then
 	set -- mongod "$@"
 fi
 
-if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
+# allow the container to be started with `--user`
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' -a "$(id -u)" = '0' ]; then
 	chown -R mongodb /data/configdb /data/db
+	exec gosu mongodb "$BASH_SOURCE" "$@"
+fi
 
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
 	numa='numactl --interleave=all'
 	if $numa true &> /dev/null; then
 		set -- $numa "$@"
 	fi
-
-	exec gosu mongodb "$@"
 fi
 
 exec "$@"
diff --git a/2.4/docker-entrypoint.sh b/2.4/docker-entrypoint.sh
index a0eacda24f..caf982b5d6 100755
--- a/2.4/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/2.4/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -5,15 +5,17 @@ if [ "${1:0:1}" = '-' ]; then
 	set -- mongod "$@"
 fi
 
-if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
+# allow the container to be started with `--user`
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' -a "$(id -u)" = '0' ]; then
 	chown -R mongodb /data/configdb /data/db
+	exec gosu mongodb "$BASH_SOURCE" "$@"
+fi
 
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
 	numa='numactl --interleave=all'
 	if $numa true &> /dev/null; then
 		set -- $numa "$@"
 	fi
-
-	exec gosu mongodb "$@"
 fi
 
 exec "$@"
diff --git a/2.6/docker-entrypoint.sh b/2.6/docker-entrypoint.sh
index a0eacda24f..caf982b5d6 100755
--- a/2.6/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/2.6/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -5,15 +5,17 @@ if [ "${1:0:1}" = '-' ]; then
 	set -- mongod "$@"
 fi
 
-if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
+# allow the container to be started with `--user`
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' -a "$(id -u)" = '0' ]; then
 	chown -R mongodb /data/configdb /data/db
+	exec gosu mongodb "$BASH_SOURCE" "$@"
+fi
 
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
 	numa='numactl --interleave=all'
 	if $numa true &> /dev/null; then
 		set -- $numa "$@"
 	fi
-
-	exec gosu mongodb "$@"
 fi
 
 exec "$@"
diff --git a/3.0/docker-entrypoint.sh b/3.0/docker-entrypoint.sh
index a0eacda24f..caf982b5d6 100755
--- a/3.0/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/3.0/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -5,15 +5,17 @@ if [ "${1:0:1}" = '-' ]; then
 	set -- mongod "$@"
 fi
 
-if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
+# allow the container to be started with `--user`
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' -a "$(id -u)" = '0' ]; then
 	chown -R mongodb /data/configdb /data/db
+	exec gosu mongodb "$BASH_SOURCE" "$@"
+fi
 
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
 	numa='numactl --interleave=all'
 	if $numa true &> /dev/null; then
 		set -- $numa "$@"
 	fi
-
-	exec gosu mongodb "$@"
 fi
 
 exec "$@"
diff --git a/3.1/docker-entrypoint.sh b/3.1/docker-entrypoint.sh
index a0eacda24f..caf982b5d6 100755
--- a/3.1/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/3.1/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -5,15 +5,17 @@ if [ "${1:0:1}" = '-' ]; then
 	set -- mongod "$@"
 fi
 
-if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
+# allow the container to be started with `--user`
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' -a "$(id -u)" = '0' ]; then
 	chown -R mongodb /data/configdb /data/db
+	exec gosu mongodb "$BASH_SOURCE" "$@"
+fi
 
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
 	numa='numactl --interleave=all'
 	if $numa true &> /dev/null; then
 		set -- $numa "$@"
 	fi
-
-	exec gosu mongodb "$@"
 fi
 
 exec "$@"
diff --git a/3.2/docker-entrypoint.sh b/3.2/docker-entrypoint.sh
index a0eacda24f..caf982b5d6 100755
--- a/3.2/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/3.2/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -5,15 +5,17 @@ if [ "${1:0:1}" = '-' ]; then
 	set -- mongod "$@"
 fi
 
-if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
+# allow the container to be started with `--user`
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' -a "$(id -u)" = '0' ]; then
 	chown -R mongodb /data/configdb /data/db
+	exec gosu mongodb "$BASH_SOURCE" "$@"
+fi
 
+if [ "$1" = 'mongod' ]; then
 	numa='numactl --interleave=all'
 	if $numa true &> /dev/null; then
 		set -- $numa "$@"
 	fi
-
-	exec gosu mongodb "$@"
 fi
 
 exec "$@"