Index: src/conf.c
--- src/conf.c.orig
+++ src/conf.c
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ int config__parse_args(struct mosquitto__config *confi
 
 	/* Default to drop to mosquitto user if we are privileged and no user specified. */
 	if(!config->user){
-		config->user = mosquitto_strdup("mosquitto");
+		config->user = mosquitto_strdup("_mosquitto");
 		if(config->user == NULL){
 			return MOSQ_ERR_NOMEM;
 		}
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ int config__read(struct mosquitto__config *config, boo
 	 * remain here even though it is covered in config__parse_args() because this
 	 * function may be called on its own. */
 	if(!config->user){
-		config->user = mosquitto_strdup("mosquitto");
+		config->user = mosquitto_strdup("_mosquitto");
 	}
 
 #ifdef WITH_BRIDGE
