diff -up openssh-5.6p1/audit-linux.c.audit1a openssh-5.6p1/audit-linux.c
--- openssh-5.6p1/audit-linux.c.audit1a	2010-12-10 21:47:03.000000000 +0100
+++ openssh-5.6p1/audit-linux.c	2010-12-10 21:50:31.000000000 +0100
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ linux_audit_record_event(int uid, const 
 	saved_errno = errno;
 	close(audit_fd);
 	errno = saved_errno;
-	return (rc >= 0);
+	/* do not report error if the error is EPERM and sshd is run as non root user */
+	return (rc >= 0) || ((rc == -EPERM) && (getuid() != 0));
 }
 
 /* Below is the sshd audit API code */