diff --git a/manifests/ringbuilder/create.pp b/manifests/ringbuilder/create.pp
index 1fde2cf6..68e4dd6b 100644
--- a/manifests/ringbuilder/create.pp
+++ b/manifests/ringbuilder/create.pp
@@ -11,13 +11,17 @@
 #    Optional. Defaults to 3
 #  [*min_part_hours*] Time before a partition can be moved.
 #    Optional. Defaults to 24.
+#  [*user*] User to run as
+#    Optional. Defaults to 'swift'
 #
+
 # == Examples
 #
 #   swift::ringbuilder::create { 'account':
 #     part_power     => 19,
 #     replicas       => 5,
 #     min_part_hours => 1,
+#     user           => 'swift',
 #   }
 #
 # == Authors
@@ -31,7 +35,8 @@
 define swift::ringbuilder::create(
   $part_power = 18,
   $replicas = 3,
-  $min_part_hours = 24
+  $min_part_hours = 24,
+  $user = 'swift'
 ) {
 
   validate_re($name, '^object|container|account$')
@@ -39,6 +44,7 @@ define swift::ringbuilder::create(
   exec { "create_${name}":
     command => "swift-ring-builder /etc/swift/${name}.builder create ${part_power} ${replicas} ${min_part_hours}",
     path    => ['/usr/bin'],
+    user    => $user,
     creates => "/etc/swift/${name}.builder",
   }
 
diff --git a/spec/defines/swift_ringbuilder_create_spec.rb b/spec/defines/swift_ringbuilder_create_spec.rb
index d5a6d083..dadcda83 100644
--- a/spec/defines/swift_ringbuilder_create_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/defines/swift_ringbuilder_create_spec.rb
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ describe 'swift::ringbuilder::create' do
   let :default_params do
     {:part_power => 18,
     :replicas => 3,
-    :min_part_hours => 24}
+    :min_part_hours => 24,
+    :user => 'swift'}
   end
 
   describe 'with allowed titles' do
@@ -17,7 +18,8 @@ describe 'swift::ringbuilder::create' do
         [{},
           {:part_power => 19,
           :replicas => 6,
-          :min_part_hours => 2}].each do |param_set|
+          :min_part_hours => 2,
+          :user => 'root'}].each do |param_set|
 
           describe "when #{param_set == {} ? "using default" : "specifying"} class parame
       ters" do
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ describe 'swift::ringbuilder::create' do
             it { is_expected.to contain_exec("create_#{type}").with(
               {:command => "swift-ring-builder /etc/swift/#{type}.builder create #{param_hash[:part_power]} #{param_hash[:replicas]} #{param_hash[:min_part_hours]}",
                :path    =>  ['/usr/bin'],
+               :user    => param_hash[:user],
                :creates => "/etc/swift/#{type}.builder" }
             )}
           end