diff --git a/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py b/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py
index 297c566f8e..80302aea2d 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ class IpNetnsCommand(IpCommandBase):
                 check_exit_code=check_exit_code)
 
     def exists(self, name):
-        output = self._as_root('list', options='o', use_root_namespace=True)
+        output = self._run('list', options='o')
 
         for line in output.split('\n'):
             if name == line.strip():
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/test_linux_ip_lib.py b/neutron/tests/unit/test_linux_ip_lib.py
index 499153c3a3..74f47ccf67 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/test_linux_ip_lib.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/test_linux_ip_lib.py
@@ -713,17 +713,17 @@ class TestIpNetnsCommand(TestIPCmdBase):
 
     def test_namespace_exists(self):
         retval = '\n'.join(NETNS_SAMPLE)
-        self.parent._as_root.return_value = retval
+        self.parent._run.return_value = retval
         self.assertTrue(
             self.netns_cmd.exists('bbbbbbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbb-bbbbbbbbbbbb'))
-        self._assert_sudo('o', ('list',), force_root_namespace=True)
+        self._assert_call('o', ('list',))
 
     def test_namespace_doest_not_exist(self):
         retval = '\n'.join(NETNS_SAMPLE)
-        self.parent._as_root.return_value = retval
+        self.parent._run.return_value = retval
         self.assertFalse(
             self.netns_cmd.exists('bbbbbbbb-1111-2222-3333-bbbbbbbbbbbb'))
-        self._assert_sudo('o', ('list',), force_root_namespace=True)
+        self._assert_call('o', ('list',))
 
     def test_execute(self):
         self.parent.namespace = 'ns'