diff --git a/stack.sh b/stack.sh
index 005d88e7b6..e50cc493cd 100755
--- a/stack.sh
+++ b/stack.sh
@@ -160,7 +160,6 @@ VERBOSE=$(trueorfalse True $VERBOSE)
 # sudo privileges and runs as that user.
 
 if [[ $EUID -eq 0 ]]; then
-    STACK_USER=$DEFAULT_STACK_USER
     ROOTSLEEP=${ROOTSLEEP:-10}
     echo "You are running this script as root."
     echo "In $ROOTSLEEP seconds, we will create a user '$STACK_USER' and run as that user"
@@ -196,7 +195,6 @@ if [[ $EUID -eq 0 ]]; then
     fi
     exit 1
 else
-    STACK_USER=`whoami`
     # We're not **root**, make sure ``sudo`` is available
     is_package_installed sudo || die "Sudo is required.  Re-run stack.sh as root ONE TIME ONLY to set up sudo."
 
@@ -1291,7 +1289,7 @@ fi
 CURRENT_RUN_TIME=$(date "+$TIMESTAMP_FORMAT")
 echo "# $CURRENT_RUN_TIME" >$TOP_DIR/.stackenv
 for i in BASE_SQL_CONN ENABLED_SERVICES HOST_IP LOGFILE \
-  SERVICE_HOST SERVICE_PROTOCOL TLS_IP; do
+  SERVICE_HOST SERVICE_PROTOCOL STACK_USER TLS_IP; do
     echo $i=${!i} >>$TOP_DIR/.stackenv
 done
 
diff --git a/stackrc b/stackrc
index cfc4d1fb57..789fc82d76 100644
--- a/stackrc
+++ b/stackrc
@@ -12,8 +12,12 @@ DATA_DIR=${DEST}/data
 # Select the default database
 DATABASE_TYPE=mysql
 
-# Default stack user
-DEFAULT_STACK_USER=stack
+# Determine stack user
+if [[ $EUID -eq 0 ]]; then
+    STACK_USER=stack
+else
+    STACK_USER=$(whoami)
+fi
 
 # Specify which services to launch.  These generally correspond to
 # screen tabs. To change the default list, use the ``enable_service`` and
diff --git a/tools/build_ramdisk.sh b/tools/build_ramdisk.sh
index cfcca51fb5..2c45568531 100755
--- a/tools/build_ramdisk.sh
+++ b/tools/build_ramdisk.sh
@@ -125,17 +125,17 @@ if [ ! -r $DEV_FILE ]; then
     # Create a stack user that is a member of the libvirtd group so that stack
     # is able to interact with libvirt.
     chroot $MNTDIR groupadd libvirtd
-    chroot $MNTDIR useradd $DEFAULT_STACK_USER -s /bin/bash -d $DEST -G libvirtd
+    chroot $MNTDIR useradd $STACK_USER -s /bin/bash -d $DEST -G libvirtd
     mkdir -p $MNTDIR/$DEST
-    chroot $MNTDIR chown $DEFAULT_STACK_USER $DEST
+    chroot $MNTDIR chown $STACK_USER $DEST
 
     # A simple password - pass
-    echo $DEFAULT_STACK_USER:pass | chroot $MNTDIR chpasswd
+    echo $STACK_USER:pass | chroot $MNTDIR chpasswd
     echo root:$ROOT_PASSWORD | chroot $MNTDIR chpasswd
 
     # And has sudo ability (in the future this should be limited to only what
     # stack requires)
-    echo "$DEFAULT_STACK_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL" >> $MNTDIR/etc/sudoers
+    echo "$STACK_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL" >> $MNTDIR/etc/sudoers
 
     umount $MNTDIR
     rmdir $MNTDIR
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ git_clone $OPENSTACKX_REPO $DEST/openstackx $OPENSTACKX_BRANCH
 # Use this version of devstack
 rm -rf $MNTDIR/$DEST/devstack
 cp -pr $CWD $MNTDIR/$DEST/devstack
-chroot $MNTDIR chown -R $DEFAULT_STACK_USER $DEST/devstack
+chroot $MNTDIR chown -R $STACK_USER $DEST/devstack
 
 # Configure host network for DHCP
 mkdir -p $MNTDIR/etc/network
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ EOF
 
 # Make the run.sh executable
 chmod 755 $RUN_SH
-chroot $MNTDIR chown $DEFAULT_STACK_USER $DEST/run.sh
+chroot $MNTDIR chown $STACK_USER $DEST/run.sh
 
 umount $MNTDIR
 rmdir $MNTDIR
diff --git a/tools/build_uec.sh b/tools/build_uec.sh
index 5748b39020..6c4a26c2e3 100755
--- a/tools/build_uec.sh
+++ b/tools/build_uec.sh
@@ -207,11 +207,11 @@ ROOTSLEEP=0
 `cat $TOP_DIR/localrc`
 LOCAL_EOF
 fi
-useradd -U -G sudo -s /bin/bash -d /opt/stack -m $DEFAULT_STACK_USER
-echo $DEFAULT_STACK_USER:pass | chpasswd
+useradd -U -G sudo -s /bin/bash -d /opt/stack -m $STACK_USER
+echo $STACK_USER:pass | chpasswd
 mkdir -p /opt/stack/.ssh
 echo "$PUB_KEY" > /opt/stack/.ssh/authorized_keys
-chown -R $DEFAULT_STACK_USER /opt/stack
+chown -R $STACK_USER /opt/stack
 chmod 700 /opt/stack/.ssh
 chmod 600 /opt/stack/.ssh/authorized_keys
 
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ fi
 
 # Run stack.sh
 cat >> $vm_dir/uec/user-data<<EOF
-sudo -u $DEFAULT_STACK_USER bash -l -c "cd /opt/stack/devstack && ./stack.sh"
+sudo -u $STACK_USER bash -l -c "cd /opt/stack/devstack && ./stack.sh"
 EOF
 
 # (re)start a metadata service
diff --git a/tools/copy_dev_environment_to_uec.sh b/tools/copy_dev_environment_to_uec.sh
index add4ff6ca5..3fd4423f86 100755
--- a/tools/copy_dev_environment_to_uec.sh
+++ b/tools/copy_dev_environment_to_uec.sh
@@ -46,13 +46,13 @@ mkdir -p $STAGING_DIR/$DEST
 # Create a stack user that is a member of the libvirtd group so that stack
 # is able to interact with libvirt.
 chroot $STAGING_DIR groupadd libvirtd || true
-chroot $STAGING_DIR useradd $DEFAULT_STACK_USER -s /bin/bash -d $DEST -G libvirtd || true
+chroot $STAGING_DIR useradd $STACK_USER -s /bin/bash -d $DEST -G libvirtd || true
 
 # Add a simple password - pass
-echo $DEFAULT_STACK_USER:pass | chroot $STAGING_DIR chpasswd
+echo $STACK_USER:pass | chroot $STAGING_DIR chpasswd
 
 # Configure sudo
-( umask 226 && echo "$DEFAULT_STACK_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL" \
+( umask 226 && echo "$STACK_USER ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL" \
     > $STAGING_DIR/etc/sudoers.d/50_stack_sh )
 
 # Copy over your ssh keys and env if desired
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ rm -rf $STAGING_DIR/$DEST/devstack
 cp_it . $STAGING_DIR/$DEST/devstack
 
 # Give stack ownership over $DEST so it may do the work needed
-chroot $STAGING_DIR chown -R $DEFAULT_STACK_USER $DEST
+chroot $STAGING_DIR chown -R $STACK_USER $DEST
 
 # Unmount
 umount $STAGING_DIR
diff --git a/tools/xen/build_xva.sh b/tools/xen/build_xva.sh
index f3f166fe69..0e874cfe55 100755
--- a/tools/xen/build_xva.sh
+++ b/tools/xen/build_xva.sh
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ cd $TOP_DIR
 cat <<EOF >$STAGING_DIR/etc/rc.local
 # network restart required for getting the right gateway
 /etc/init.d/networking restart
-chown -R $DEFAULT_STACK_USER /opt/stack
-su -c "/opt/stack/run.sh > /opt/stack/run.sh.log" $DEFAULT_STACK_USER
+chown -R $STACK_USER /opt/stack
+su -c "/opt/stack/run.sh > /opt/stack/run.sh.log" $STACK_USER
 exit 0
 EOF