diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 51f8f80d..825b8015 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ DOCKER_COMPOSE=docker compose
 # Resolve user ID for rootless docker port mapping
 export USERID:=$(shell id -u)
 
+# Set default rootful docker socket path
+export DOCKER_SOCKET_PATH=/var/run/docker.sock
+
 ifeq (arm64, $(filter arm64,$(ARGS)))
 	ARM64=-arm64
 	ARM64_OPTION=arm64
@@ -55,10 +58,8 @@ endef
 .PHONY: $(OPTIONS)
 
 portainer:
-	@if [ ! -e /run/user/${USERID}/docker.sock ]; then \
-    	echo "Error: Docker socket not found at /run/user/${USERID}/docker.sock"; \
-    	echo "Please ensure Docker is running rootless."; \
-    	exit 1; \
+	@if [ -e /run/user/${USERID}/docker.sock ]; then \
+    	export DOCKER_SOCKET_PATH=/run/user/${USERID}/docker.sock; \
     fi
 	${DOCKER_COMPOSE} -p portainer -f docker-compose-portainer.yml up -d
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1aed3f6a..489ea137 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -125,4 +125,4 @@ The compose files under the `taf` subfolder are used for the automated TAF tests
 
 - **docker-compose-portainer.yml**
     Stand-alone compose file for running Portainer which is a  Docker container management tool. Visit here https://www.portainer.io/ for more details on Portianer.
-    Use `make portainer`and `make portainer-down` to start and stop Portainer. This feature has been configured to run only in a rootless docker environment.
+    Use `make portainer`and `make portainer-down` to start and stop Portainer.
diff --git a/compose-builder/Makefile b/compose-builder/Makefile
index e504133b..f29e8962 100644
--- a/compose-builder/Makefile
+++ b/compose-builder/Makefile
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@ REGISTRY=
 # Resolve user ID for rootless docker port mapping
 export USERID:=$(shell id -u)
 
+# Set default rootful docker socket path
+export DOCKER_SOCKET_PATH=/var/run/docker.sock
+
 BROKER_YAML=add-mqtt-broker-mosquitto.yml
 TAF_BROKER_YAML=add-taf-mqtt-broker-mosquitto.yml
 
@@ -138,10 +141,8 @@ endif
 # When in delay-start mode, we have to make sure support serivces be delayed-start-compliant: i.e. the runtime-token configuration be added etc..
 ifeq (delayed-start, $(filter delayed-start,$(ARGS)))
     # Make sure docker is running rootless as security-spire-agent runs only in docker rootless mode
-	@if [ ! -e /run/user/${USERID}/docker.sock ]; then \
-    	echo "Error: Docker socket not found at /run/user/${USERID}/docker.sock"; \
-    	echo "Please ensure Docker is running rootless."; \
-    	exit 1; \
+	@if [ -e /run/user/${USERID}/docker.sock ]; then \
+		export DOCKER_SOCKET_PATH=/run/user/${USERID}/docker.sock; \
     fi
 	ext_file_sup_notif:= $(shell ZERO_TRUST="$(MAKE_ZERO_TRUST)" GEN_EXT_DIR="$(GEN_EXT_DIR)" ./gen_runtime_token_config_compose_ext.sh support-notifications)
 	ext_file_sup_sch:= $(shell ZERO_TRUST="$(MAKE_ZERO_TRUST)" GEN_EXT_DIR="$(GEN_EXT_DIR)" ./gen_runtime_token_config_compose_ext.sh support-scheduler)
diff --git a/compose-builder/README.md b/compose-builder/README.md
index dc46debf..c1946ada 100644
--- a/compose-builder/README.md
+++ b/compose-builder/README.md
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ Usage: make <target> where target is:
 #### Portainer
 
 ```
-portainer       Runs Portainer independent of the EdgeX services and requires a rootless docker environment.
+portainer       Runs Portainer independent of the EdgeX services.
 portainer-down	Stops Portainer independent of the EdgeX services
 ```
 #### Build
diff --git a/compose-builder/add-delayed-start-services.yml b/compose-builder/add-delayed-start-services.yml
index 09005fe7..67356786 100644
--- a/compose-builder/add-delayed-start-services.yml
+++ b/compose-builder/add-delayed-start-services.yml
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ services:
       - spire-ca:/srv/spiffe/ca
       - spire-agent:/srv/spiffe/agent
       - /tmp/edgex/secrets/spiffe:/tmp/edgex/secrets/spiffe:z
-      - /run/user/${USERID}/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
+      - ${DOCKER_SOCKET_PATH}:/var/run/docker.sock
     depends_on:
       - security-spire-server
     pid: host
diff --git a/docker-compose-portainer.yml b/docker-compose-portainer.yml
index ee7d899f..58ceb6be 100644
--- a/docker-compose-portainer.yml
+++ b/docker-compose-portainer.yml
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ services:
     restart: always
     command: -H unix:///var/run/docker.sock
     volumes:
-      - /run/user/${USERID}/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
+      - ${DOCKER_SOCKET_PATH}:/var/run/docker.sock
       - portainer_data:/data