diff --git a/docs/configuration/environment-variables.md b/docs/configuration/environment-variables.md
index 3bfffe858..4bc72d5bb 100644
--- a/docs/configuration/environment-variables.md
+++ b/docs/configuration/environment-variables.md
@@ -115,4 +115,6 @@ The following list config variables have special meaning and can be set in a var
 | `DOKKU_SKIP_CLEANUP`           |                                 | `/etc/environment` <br /> `~dokku/.dokkurc` <br /> `~dokku/.dokkurc/*`                                                                           | When a deploy is triggered, if this is set to a non-empty value, then old docker containers and images will not be removed. |
 | `DOKKU_SKIP_DEFAULT_CHECKS`    |                                 | `dokku config:set`                                                                                                                               | |
 | `DOKKU_SKIP_DEPLOY`            |                                 | `dokku config:set`                                                                                                                               | |
+| `DOKKU_SYSTEM_GROUP`           | `dokku`                         | `/etc/environment` <br /> `~dokku/.dokkurc` <br /> `~dokku/.dokkurc/*`                                                                           | System group to chown files as. |
+| `DOKKU_SYSTEM_USER`            | `dokku`                         | `/etc/environment` <br /> `~dokku/.dokkurc` <br /> `~dokku/.dokkurc/*`                                                                           | System user to chown files as. |
 | `DOKKU_WAIT_TO_RETIRE`         | `60`                            | `dokku config:set`                                                                                                                               | After a successful deploy, the grace period given to old containers before they are stopped/terminated. This is useful for ensuring completion of long-running http connections. |
diff --git a/plugins/common/properties.go b/plugins/common/properties.go
index 88717fcc2..61da772f3 100644
--- a/plugins/common/properties.go
+++ b/plugins/common/properties.go
@@ -142,11 +142,20 @@ func setPermissions(path string, fileMode os.FileMode) (err error) {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	group, err := user.LookupGroup("dokku")
+	systemGroup := os.Getenv("DOKKU_SYSTEM_GROUP")
+	systemUser := os.Getenv("DOKKU_SYSTEM_USER")
+	if systemGroup == "" {
+		systemGroup = "dokku"
+	}
+	if systemUser == "" {
+		systemUser = "dokku"
+	}
+
+	group, err := user.LookupGroup(systemGroup)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}
-	user, err := user.Lookup("dokku")
+	user, err := user.Lookup(systemUser)
 	if err != nil {
 		return
 	}