diff --git a/src/nix-build/nix-build.cc b/src/nix-build/nix-build.cc
index 049838bb1..da76c2ace 100644
--- a/src/nix-build/nix-build.cc
+++ b/src/nix-build/nix-build.cc
@@ -536,7 +536,9 @@ static void main_nix_build(int argc, char * * argv)
                 "SHELL=%5%; "
                 "BASH=%5%; "
                 "set +e; "
-                R"s([ -n "$PS1" -a -z "$NIX_SHELL_PRESERVE_PROMPT" ] && PS1='\n\[\033[1;32m\][nix-shell:\w]\$\[\033[0m\] '; )s"
+                R"s([ -n "$PS1" -a -z "$NIX_SHELL_PRESERVE_PROMPT" ] && )s" +
+                (getuid() == 0 ? R"s(PS1='\n\[\033[1;31m\][nix-shell:\w]\$\[\033[0m\] '; )s"
+                               : R"s(PS1='\n\[\033[1;32m\][nix-shell:\w]\$\[\033[0m\] '; )s") +
                 "if [ \"$(type -t runHook)\" = function ]; then runHook shellHook; fi; "
                 "unset NIX_ENFORCE_PURITY; "
                 "shopt -u nullglob; "