diff --git a/orchestrator.sh b/orchestrator.sh
index 5ae079b..fb3b4cb 100755
--- a/orchestrator.sh
+++ b/orchestrator.sh
@@ -81,8 +81,8 @@ RUNNER_GROUP=${RUNNER_GROUP:-"Default"}
 # Comma separated list of labels to attach to the runner (good defaults will be used if empty)
 RUNNER_LABELS=${RUNNER_LABELS:-""}
 
-# Name of the user to run the runner as, defaults to root. User must exist.
-RUNNER_USER=${RUNNER_USER:-"root"}
+# Name of the user to run the runner as, defaults to runner. User must exist.
+RUNNER_USER=${RUNNER_USER:-"runner"}
 
 # Scope of the runner, one of: repo, org or enterprise
 RUNNER_SCOPE=${RUNNER_SCOPE:-"repo"}
diff --git a/runner.sh b/runner.sh
index 534334c..da924fc 100755
--- a/runner.sh
+++ b/runner.sh
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ RUNNER_GROUP=${RUNNER_GROUP:-"Default"}
 RUNNER_LABELS=${RUNNER_LABELS:-""}
 
 # Name of the user to run the runner as, defaults to root. User must exist.
-RUNNER_USER=${RUNNER_USER:-"root"}
+RUNNER_USER=${RUNNER_USER:-"runner"}
 
 # Scope of the runner, one of: repo, org or enterprise
 RUNNER_SCOPE=${RUNNER_SCOPE:-"repo"}
diff --git a/runner/runner.sh b/runner/runner.sh
index 2c71b97..b7f45a2 100755
--- a/runner/runner.sh
+++ b/runner/runner.sh
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ RUNNER_GROUP=${RUNNER_GROUP:-"Default"}
 RUNNER_LABELS=${RUNNER_LABELS:-""}
 
 # Name of the user to run the runner as, defaults to root. User must exist.
-RUNNER_USER=${RUNNER_USER:-"root"}
+RUNNER_USER=${RUNNER_USER:-"runner"}
 
 # Scope of the runner, one of: repo, org or enterprise
 RUNNER_SCOPE=${RUNNER_SCOPE:-"repo"}