diff --git a/probe/endpoint/connection_tracker.go b/probe/endpoint/connection_tracker.go
index c437d9719e..1db913f639 100644
--- a/probe/endpoint/connection_tracker.go
+++ b/probe/endpoint/connection_tracker.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func flowToTuple(f flow) (ft fourTuple) {
 func (t *connectionTracker) useProcfs() {
 	t.ebpfTracker = nil
 	if t.conf.WalkProc && t.conf.Scanner == nil {
-		t.conf.Scanner = procspy.NewConnectionScanner(t.conf.ProcessCache)
+		t.conf.Scanner = procspy.NewConnectionScanner(t.conf.ProcessCache, t.conf.SpyProcs)
 	}
 	if t.flowWalker == nil {
 		t.flowWalker = newConntrackFlowWalker(t.conf.UseConntrack, t.conf.ProcRoot, t.conf.BufferSize)
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func (t *connectionTracker) performFlowWalk(rpt *report.Report, seenTuples *map[
 }
 
 func (t *connectionTracker) performWalkProc(rpt *report.Report, hostNodeID string, seenTuples *map[string]fourTuple) error {
-	conns, err := t.conf.Scanner.Connections(t.conf.SpyProcs)
+	conns, err := t.conf.Scanner.Connections()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func (t *connectionTracker) getInitialState() {
 	processCache = process.NewCachingWalker(walker)
 	processCache.Tick()
 
-	scanner := procspy.NewSyncConnectionScanner(processCache)
+	scanner := procspy.NewSyncConnectionScanner(processCache, t.conf.SpyProcs)
 	seenTuples := map[string]fourTuple{}
 	// Consult the flowWalker to get the initial state
 	if err := IsConntrackSupported(t.conf.ProcRoot); t.conf.UseConntrack && err != nil {
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func (t *connectionTracker) getInitialState() {
 		}
 	}
 
-	conns, err := scanner.Connections(t.conf.SpyProcs)
+	conns, err := scanner.Connections()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("Error initializing ebpfTracker while scanning /proc, continuing without initial connections: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/probe/endpoint/procspy/fixture.go b/probe/endpoint/procspy/fixture.go
index 0731f624a0..59ac933688 100644
--- a/probe/endpoint/procspy/fixture.go
+++ b/probe/endpoint/procspy/fixture.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func (f *fixedConnIter) Next() *Connection {
 type FixedScanner []Connection
 
 // Connections implements ConnectionsScanner.Connections
-func (s FixedScanner) Connections(_ bool) (ConnIter, error) {
+func (s FixedScanner) Connections() (ConnIter, error) {
 	iter := fixedConnIter(s)
 	return &iter, nil
 }
diff --git a/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy.go b/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy.go
index 04a9c3692b..1c09450abe 100644
--- a/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy.go
+++ b/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy.go
@@ -40,12 +40,8 @@ type ConnIter interface {
 
 // ConnectionScanner scans the system for established (TCP) connections
 type ConnectionScanner interface {
-	// Connections returns all established (TCP) connections.  If processes is
-	// false we'll just list all TCP connections, and there is no need to be root.
-	// If processes is true it'll additionally try to lookup the process owning the
-	// connection, filling in the Proc field. You will need to run this as root to
-	// find all processes.
-	Connections(processes bool) (ConnIter, error)
+	// Connections returns all established (TCP) connections.
+	Connections() (ConnIter, error)
 	// Stops the scanning
 	Stop()
 }
diff --git a/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_darwin.go b/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_darwin.go
index 394407f39f..f7852c91ac 100644
--- a/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_darwin.go
+++ b/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_darwin.go
@@ -14,21 +14,21 @@ const (
 )
 
 // NewConnectionScanner creates a new Darwin ConnectionScanner
-func NewConnectionScanner(_ process.Walker) ConnectionScanner {
-	return &darwinScanner{}
+func NewConnectionScanner(_ process.Walker, processes bool) ConnectionScanner {
+	return &darwinScanner{processes}
 }
 
 // NewSyncConnectionScanner creates a new synchronous Darwin ConnectionScanner
-func NewSyncConnectionScanner(_ process.Walker) ConnectionScanner {
-	return &darwinScanner{}
+func NewSyncConnectionScanner(_ process.Walker, processes bool) ConnectionScanner {
+	return &darwinScanner{processes}
 }
 
-type darwinScanner struct{}
+type darwinScanner struct {
+	processes bool
+}
 
-// Connections returns all established (TCP) connections. No need to be root
-// to run this. If processes is true it also tries to fill in the process
-// fields of the connection. You need to be root to find all processes.
-func (s *darwinScanner) Connections(processes bool) (ConnIter, error) {
+// Connections returns all established (TCP) connections.
+func (s *darwinScanner) Connections() (ConnIter, error) {
 	out, err := exec.Command(
 		netstatBinary,
 		"-n", // no number resolving
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func (s *darwinScanner) Connections(processes bool) (ConnIter, error) {
 	}
 	connections := parseDarwinNetstat(string(out))
 
-	if processes {
+	if s.processes {
 		out, err := exec.Command(
 			lsofBinary,
 			"-i",       // only Internet files
diff --git a/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_linux.go b/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_linux.go
index bdc80c66fc..08d4258c57 100644
--- a/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_linux.go
+++ b/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_linux.go
@@ -33,28 +33,34 @@ func (c *pnConnIter) Next() *Connection {
 }
 
 // NewConnectionScanner creates a new Linux ConnectionScanner
-func NewConnectionScanner(walker process.Walker) ConnectionScanner {
-	br := newBackgroundReader(walker)
-	return &linuxScanner{br}
+func NewConnectionScanner(walker process.Walker, processes bool) ConnectionScanner {
+	scanner := &linuxScanner{}
+	if processes {
+		scanner.r = newBackgroundReader(walker)
+	}
+	return scanner
 }
 
 // NewSyncConnectionScanner creates a new synchronous Linux ConnectionScanner
-func NewSyncConnectionScanner(walker process.Walker) ConnectionScanner {
-	fr := newForegroundReader(walker)
-	return &linuxScanner{fr}
+func NewSyncConnectionScanner(walker process.Walker, processes bool) ConnectionScanner {
+	scanner := &linuxScanner{}
+	if processes {
+		scanner.r = newForegroundReader(walker)
+	}
+	return scanner
 }
 
 type linuxScanner struct {
 	r reader
 }
 
-func (s *linuxScanner) Connections(processes bool) (ConnIter, error) {
+func (s *linuxScanner) Connections() (ConnIter, error) {
 	// buffer for contents of /proc/<pid>/net/tcp
 	buf := bufPool.Get().(*bytes.Buffer)
 	buf.Reset()
 
 	var procs map[uint64]*Proc
-	if processes {
+	if s.r != nil {
 		var err error
 		if procs, err = s.r.getWalkedProcPid(buf); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
@@ -74,5 +80,7 @@ func (s *linuxScanner) Connections(processes bool) (ConnIter, error) {
 }
 
 func (s *linuxScanner) Stop() {
-	s.r.stop()
+	if s.r != nil {
+		s.r.stop()
+	}
 }
diff --git a/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_linux_internal_test.go b/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_linux_internal_test.go
index d5e1fb1e1d..8614713391 100644
--- a/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_linux_internal_test.go
+++ b/probe/endpoint/procspy/spy_linux_internal_test.go
@@ -14,13 +14,13 @@ import (
 func TestLinuxConnections(t *testing.T) {
 	fs_hook.Mock(mockFS)
 	defer fs_hook.Restore()
-	scanner := NewConnectionScanner(process.NewWalker("/proc", false))
+	scanner := NewConnectionScanner(process.NewWalker("/proc", false), true)
 	defer scanner.Stop()
 
 	// let the background scanner finish its first pass
 	time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
 
-	iter, err := scanner.Connections(true)
+	iter, err := scanner.Connections()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}