diff --git a/src/homemade_speedstep.c b/src/homemade_speedstep.c
index 38f42e0..d28ad30 100644
--- a/src/homemade_speedstep.c
+++ b/src/homemade_speedstep.c
@@ -5,7 +5,18 @@
 #define SETSPDPATH "/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpufreq/policy0/scaling_setspeed"
 #define CURTEMPPATH "/sys/devices/virtual/thermal/thermal_zone0/temp"
 
-void getfilec(FILE *file, char arr[]){
+int comparestrings(char *a, char *b){
+  int c = 0;
+  while(a[c]!='\0' && b[c]!='\0'){
+    if(a[c] != b[c]){
+      return 1;
+    }
+    c++;
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
+int getfilec(FILE *file, char arr[]){
   int c, i;
   i=0;
   while((c=fgetc(file)) != EOF){
@@ -13,10 +24,17 @@ void getfilec(FILE *file, char arr[]){
     i++;
   }
   arr[i]='\0';
+  return i;
 }
 
 int main(){
+  char gov[20];
   FILE *govfile = fopen(CURGOV, "r");
+  getfilec(govfile, gov);
+  if (comparestrings(gov, "userspace\n") != 0){
+    printf("error: userspace governor not set\n");
+    return 1;
+  }
   FILE *freqsfile = fopen(FREQS, "r");
   FILE *curmaxfile = fopen(MAXSPDPATH, "r");
   FILE *setspeedfile = fopen(SETSPDPATH, "r");