diff --git a/launch.py b/launch.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..726445f0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/launch.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python3 -OO
+
+import os
+import sys
+
+if os.geteuid() == 0:
+    sys.exit("You must not launch gajim as root, it is insecure.")
+
+import gajim.gajim as g
+
+g.GajimApplication().run(sys.argv)
diff --git a/launch.sh b/launch.sh
deleted file mode 100755
index b0339c655..000000000
--- a/launch.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-if [ ! $PYTHON ]; then
-       PYTHON="python3";
-fi
-cd "$(dirname $0)/gajim"
-exec $PYTHON -OOt gajim.py "$@"