diff --git a/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/pod.go b/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/pod.go
index 99d13b7c98b..4b3c7750394 100644
--- a/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/pod.go
+++ b/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/pod.go
@@ -445,7 +445,19 @@ func containerSecurityContext(sc *SecurityContext, stepPrivileged bool) *v1.Secu
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	privileged := false
+
+	// if security context privileged is set explicitly
 	if sc != nil && sc.Privileged != nil && *sc.Privileged {
+		privileged = true
+	}
+
+	// if security context privileged is not set explicitly, but step is privileged
+	if (sc == nil || sc.Privileged == nil) && stepPrivileged {
+		privileged = true
+	}
+
+	if privileged {
 		securityContext := &v1.SecurityContext{
 			Privileged: newBool(true),
 		}
diff --git a/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/pod_test.go b/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/pod_test.go
index 33473d49b25..b18e77e4c68 100644
--- a/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/pod_test.go
+++ b/pipeline/backend/kubernetes/pod_test.go
@@ -406,7 +406,13 @@ func TestPodPrivilege(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	pod, err = createTestPod(true, false, secCtx)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, true, *pod.Spec.Containers[0].SecurityContext.Privileged)
+	assert.True(t, *pod.Spec.Containers[0].SecurityContext.Privileged)
+
+	// step is privileged and no security context is provided
+	secCtx = SecurityContext{}
+	pod, err = createTestPod(true, false, secCtx)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.True(t, *pod.Spec.Containers[0].SecurityContext.Privileged)
 
 	// global runAsNonRoot is true and override is requested value by security context
 	secCtx = SecurityContext{
@@ -414,7 +420,7 @@ func TestPodPrivilege(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	pod, err = createTestPod(false, true, secCtx)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, true, *pod.Spec.SecurityContext.RunAsNonRoot)
+	assert.True(t, *pod.Spec.SecurityContext.RunAsNonRoot)
 }
 
 func TestScratchPod(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/pipeline/frontend/yaml/compiler/compiler_test.go b/pipeline/frontend/yaml/compiler/compiler_test.go
index eca7322f85a..41e055b366d 100644
--- a/pipeline/frontend/yaml/compiler/compiler_test.go
+++ b/pipeline/frontend/yaml/compiler/compiler_test.go
@@ -342,3 +342,40 @@ func TestSecretMatch(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func TestCompilerCompilePrivileged(t *testing.T) {
+	compiler := New(
+		WithEscalated("test/image"),
+	)
+
+	fronConf := &yaml_types.Workflow{
+		SkipClone: true,
+		Steps: yaml_types.ContainerList{
+			ContainerList: []*yaml_types.Container{
+				{
+					Name:      "privileged-plugin",
+					Image:     "test/image",
+					DependsOn: []string{}, // no dependencies =>  enable dag mode & all steps are executed in parallel
+				},
+				{
+					Name:     "no-plugin",
+					Image:    "test/image",
+					Commands: []string{"echo 'i am not a plugin anymore'"},
+				},
+				{
+					Name:  "not-privileged-image",
+					Image: "some/other-image",
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	backConf, err := compiler.Compile(fronConf)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Len(t, backConf.Stages, 1)
+	assert.Len(t, backConf.Stages[0].Steps, 3)
+	assert.True(t, backConf.Stages[0].Steps[0].Privileged)
+	assert.False(t, backConf.Stages[0].Steps[1].Privileged)
+	assert.False(t, backConf.Stages[0].Steps[2].Privileged)
+}
diff --git a/pipeline/frontend/yaml/linter/linter.go b/pipeline/frontend/yaml/linter/linter.go
index 32bad6aeedb..7120d2ad8db 100644
--- a/pipeline/frontend/yaml/linter/linter.go
+++ b/pipeline/frontend/yaml/linter/linter.go
@@ -148,40 +148,46 @@ func (l *Linter) lintCommands(config *WorkflowConfig, c *types.Container, field
 
 func (l *Linter) lintTrusted(config *WorkflowConfig, c *types.Container, area string) error {
 	yamlPath := fmt.Sprintf("%s.%s", area, c.Name)
-	err := ""
+	errors := []string{}
 	if c.Privileged {
-		err = "Insufficient privileges to use privileged mode"
+		errors = append(errors, "Insufficient privileges to use privileged mode")
 	}
 	if c.ShmSize != 0 {
-		err = "Insufficient privileges to override shm_size"
+		errors = append(errors, "Insufficient privileges to override shm_size")
 	}
 	if len(c.DNS) != 0 {
-		err = "Insufficient privileges to use custom dns"
+		errors = append(errors, "Insufficient privileges to use custom dns")
 	}
 	if len(c.DNSSearch) != 0 {
-		err = "Insufficient privileges to use dns_search"
+		errors = append(errors, "Insufficient privileges to use dns_search")
 	}
 	if len(c.Devices) != 0 {
-		err = "Insufficient privileges to use devices"
+		errors = append(errors, "Insufficient privileges to use devices")
 	}
 	if len(c.ExtraHosts) != 0 {
-		err = "Insufficient privileges to use extra_hosts"
+		errors = append(errors, "Insufficient privileges to use extra_hosts")
 	}
 	if len(c.NetworkMode) != 0 {
-		err = "Insufficient privileges to use network_mode"
+		errors = append(errors, "Insufficient privileges to use network_mode")
 	}
 	if c.Networks.Networks != nil && len(c.Networks.Networks) != 0 {
-		err = "Insufficient privileges to use networks"
+		errors = append(errors, "Insufficient privileges to use networks")
 	}
 	if c.Volumes.Volumes != nil && len(c.Volumes.Volumes) != 0 {
-		err = "Insufficient privileges to use volumes"
+		errors = append(errors, "Insufficient privileges to use volumes")
 	}
 	if len(c.Tmpfs) != 0 {
-		err = "Insufficient privileges to use tmpfs"
+		errors = append(errors, "Insufficient privileges to use tmpfs")
 	}
 
-	if len(err) != 0 {
-		return newLinterError(err, config.File, yamlPath, false)
+	if len(errors) > 0 {
+		var err error
+
+		for _, e := range errors {
+			err = multierr.Append(err, newLinterError(e, config.File, yamlPath, false))
+		}
+
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return nil