diff --git a/.github/workflows/local-example.yml b/.github/workflows/local-example.yml
index a4ec46301a6..03a358d8161 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/local-example.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/local-example.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-name: Go
-on: [push]
+name: Local Example
+on: [push, pull_request]
 jobs:
 
   build:
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ jobs:
       uses: actions/setup-go@v1
       with:
         go-version: 1.13
-      id: local-example
 
     - name: Check out code
       uses: actions/checkout@v1
diff --git a/examples/local/101_initial_cluster.sh b/examples/local/101_initial_cluster.sh
index 134ddbd65b5..9f018da6b55 100755
--- a/examples/local/101_initial_cluster.sh
+++ b/examples/local/101_initial_cluster.sh
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ set -e
 # shellcheck disable=SC2128
 script_root=$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE}")
 
+if [[ $EUID -eq 0 ]]; then
+   echo "This script refuses to be run as root. Please switch to a regular user."
+   exit 1
+fi
+
 # start topo server
 if [ "${TOPO}" = "zk2" ]; then
     CELL=zone1 "$script_root/zk-up.sh"