diff --git a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/amd_fam14h_idle.c b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/amd_fam14h_idle.c
index 3f893b99b337..33dc34db4f3c 100644
--- a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/amd_fam14h_idle.c
+++ b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/amd_fam14h_idle.c
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ struct cpuidle_monitor amd_fam14h_monitor = {
 	.stop			= amd_fam14h_stop,
 	.do_register		= amd_fam14h_register,
 	.unregister		= amd_fam14h_unregister,
-	.needs_root		= 1,
+	.flags.needs_root	= 1,
 	.overflow_s		= OVERFLOW_MS / 1000,
 };
 #endif /* #if defined(__i386__) || defined(__x86_64__) */
diff --git a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpuidle_sysfs.c b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpuidle_sysfs.c
index f634aeb65c5f..3c4cee160b0e 100644
--- a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpuidle_sysfs.c
+++ b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpuidle_sysfs.c
@@ -207,6 +207,6 @@ struct cpuidle_monitor cpuidle_sysfs_monitor = {
 	.stop			= cpuidle_stop,
 	.do_register		= cpuidle_register,
 	.unregister		= cpuidle_unregister,
-	.needs_root		= 0,
+	.flags.needs_root	= 0,
 	.overflow_s		= UINT_MAX,
 };
diff --git a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpupower-monitor.c b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpupower-monitor.c
index d3c3e6e7aa26..6d44fec55ad5 100644
--- a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpupower-monitor.c
+++ b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpupower-monitor.c
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ int cmd_monitor(int argc, char **argv)
 		dprint("Try to register: %s\n", all_monitors[num]->name);
 		test_mon = all_monitors[num]->do_register();
 		if (test_mon) {
-			if (test_mon->needs_root && !run_as_root) {
+			if (test_mon->flags.needs_root && !run_as_root) {
 				fprintf(stderr, _("Available monitor %s needs "
 					  "root access\n"), test_mon->name);
 				continue;
diff --git a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpupower-monitor.h b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpupower-monitor.h
index a2d901d3bfaf..9b612d999660 100644
--- a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpupower-monitor.h
+++ b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/cpupower-monitor.h
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ struct cpuidle_monitor {
 	struct cpuidle_monitor* (*do_register) (void);
 	void (*unregister)(void);
 	unsigned int overflow_s;
-	int needs_root;
+	struct {
+		unsigned int needs_root:1;
+	} flags;
 };
 
 extern long long timespec_diff_us(struct timespec start, struct timespec end);
diff --git a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/hsw_ext_idle.c b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/hsw_ext_idle.c
index 58dbdfd4fa13..97ad3233a521 100644
--- a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/hsw_ext_idle.c
+++ b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/hsw_ext_idle.c
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ struct cpuidle_monitor intel_hsw_ext_monitor = {
 	.stop			= hsw_ext_stop,
 	.do_register		= hsw_ext_register,
 	.unregister		= hsw_ext_unregister,
-	.needs_root		= 1,
+	.flags.needs_root	= 1,
 	.overflow_s		= 922000000 /* 922337203 seconds TSC overflow
 					       at 20GHz */
 };
diff --git a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/mperf_monitor.c b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/mperf_monitor.c
index 44806a6dae11..7cae74202a4d 100644
--- a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/mperf_monitor.c
+++ b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/mperf_monitor.c
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ struct cpuidle_monitor mperf_monitor = {
 	.stop			= mperf_stop,
 	.do_register		= mperf_register,
 	.unregister		= mperf_unregister,
-	.needs_root		= 1,
+	.flags.needs_root	= 1,
 	.overflow_s		= 922000000 /* 922337203 seconds TSC overflow
 					       at 20GHz */
 };
diff --git a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/nhm_idle.c b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/nhm_idle.c
index be7256696a37..114271165182 100644
--- a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/nhm_idle.c
+++ b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/nhm_idle.c
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ struct cpuidle_monitor intel_nhm_monitor = {
 	.stop			= nhm_stop,
 	.do_register		= intel_nhm_register,
 	.unregister		= intel_nhm_unregister,
-	.needs_root		= 1,
+	.flags.needs_root	= 1,
 	.overflow_s		= 922000000 /* 922337203 seconds TSC overflow
 					       at 20GHz */
 };
diff --git a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/snb_idle.c b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/snb_idle.c
index 968333571cad..df8b223cc096 100644
--- a/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/snb_idle.c
+++ b/tools/power/cpupower/utils/idle_monitor/snb_idle.c
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ struct cpuidle_monitor intel_snb_monitor = {
 	.stop			= snb_stop,
 	.do_register		= snb_register,
 	.unregister		= snb_unregister,
-	.needs_root		= 1,
+	.flags.needs_root	= 1,
 	.overflow_s		= 922000000 /* 922337203 seconds TSC overflow
 					       at 20GHz */
 };