diff --git a/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_logs_test.go b/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_logs_test.go
index 71debda52e9..2e6d4dbc44c 100644
--- a/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_logs_test.go
+++ b/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_logs_test.go
@@ -18,12 +18,14 @@ package container
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os/exec"
 	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
 	"gotest.tools/v3/assert"
+	"gotest.tools/v3/icmd"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/nerdctl/v2/pkg/testutil"
 )
@@ -109,8 +111,14 @@ func TestLogsWithInheritedFlags(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestLogsOfJournaldDriver(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
 	testutil.RequireExecutable(t, "journalctl")
+	journalctl, _ := exec.LookPath("journalctl")
+	res := icmd.RunCmd(icmd.Command(journalctl, "-xe"))
+	if res.ExitCode != 0 {
+		t.Skipf("current user is not allowed to access journal logs: %s", res.Combined())
+	}
+
+	t.Parallel()
 	base := testutil.NewBase(t)
 	containerName := testutil.Identifier(t)
 
diff --git a/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_run_test.go b/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_run_test.go
index 9a22aded3b0..0c2d57fc892 100644
--- a/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_run_test.go
+++ b/cmd/nerdctl/container/container_run_test.go
@@ -316,6 +316,13 @@ func TestRunWithJsonFileLogDriverAndLogPathOpt(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestRunWithJournaldLogDriver(t *testing.T) {
+	testutil.RequireExecutable(t, "journalctl")
+	journalctl, _ := exec.LookPath("journalctl")
+	res := icmd.RunCmd(icmd.Command(journalctl, "-xe"))
+	if res.ExitCode != 0 {
+		t.Skipf("current user is not allowed to access journal logs: %s", res.Combined())
+	}
+
 	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
 		t.Skip("journald log driver is not yet implemented on Windows")
 	}
@@ -327,8 +334,6 @@ func TestRunWithJournaldLogDriver(t *testing.T) {
 		"sh", "-euxc", "echo foo; echo bar").AssertOK()
 
 	time.Sleep(3 * time.Second)
-	journalctl, err := exec.LookPath("journalctl")
-	assert.NilError(t, err)
 
 	inspectedContainer := base.InspectContainer(containerName)
 
@@ -370,6 +375,13 @@ func TestRunWithJournaldLogDriver(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestRunWithJournaldLogDriverAndLogOpt(t *testing.T) {
+	testutil.RequireExecutable(t, "journalctl")
+	journalctl, _ := exec.LookPath("journalctl")
+	res := icmd.RunCmd(icmd.Command(journalctl, "-xe"))
+	if res.ExitCode != 0 {
+		t.Skipf("current user is not allowed to access journal logs: %s", res.Combined())
+	}
+
 	if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
 		t.Skip("journald log driver is not yet implemented on Windows")
 	}
@@ -381,8 +393,6 @@ func TestRunWithJournaldLogDriverAndLogOpt(t *testing.T) {
 		"sh", "-euxc", "echo foo; echo bar").AssertOK()
 
 	time.Sleep(3 * time.Second)
-	journalctl, err := exec.LookPath("journalctl")
-	assert.NilError(t, err)
 	inspectedContainer := base.InspectContainer(containerName)
 	found := 0
 	check := func(log poll.LogT) poll.Result {