diff --git a/lisa/trace.py b/lisa/trace.py
index 2d965b4684b88dcef2e6cad51c7c3c21e835c920..2f2405f9406a38afbd7f6c5d962d124b52d645fa 100644
--- a/lisa/trace.py
+++ b/lisa/trace.py
@@ -7690,7 +7690,7 @@ class FtraceCollector(CollectorBase, Configurable):
 
         # trace-cmd start complains if given these events, even though they are
         # valid
-        avoided = set(target.list_directory(target.path.join(tracing_path, 'events', 'ftrace')))
+        avoided = set(target.list_directory(target.path.join(tracing_path, 'events', 'ftrace'), as_root=True))
 
         available = set(
             event.split(':', 1)[1]