diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 93b173210d..f06d0ae1ad 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -11,16 +11,12 @@ import (
 )
 
 func before(c *cli.Context) error {
-
 	caCertPath := c.GlobalString("tls-ca-cert")
 	caKeyPath := c.GlobalString("tls-ca-key")
 	clientCertPath := c.GlobalString("tls-client-cert")
 	clientKeyPath := c.GlobalString("tls-client-key")
 
-	org, err := utils.GetUsername()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+	org := utils.GetUsername()
 	bits := 2048
 
 	if _, err := os.Stat(utils.GetMachineDir()); err != nil {
diff --git a/utils/utils.go b/utils/utils.go
index d58cebd25e..63019114a2 100644
--- a/utils/utils.go
+++ b/utils/utils.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package utils
 import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
-	"os/user"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 )
@@ -27,13 +26,22 @@ func GetMachineClientCertDir() string {
 	return filepath.Join(GetMachineDir(), ".client")
 }
 
-func GetUsername() (string, error) {
-	u, err := user.Current()
-	if err != nil {
-		return "", err
+func GetUsername() string {
+	u := "unknown"
+	osUser := ""
+
+	switch runtime.GOOS {
+	case "darwin", "linux":
+		osUser = os.Getenv("USER")
+	case "windows":
+		osUser = os.Getenv("USERNAME")
 	}
 
-	return u.Username, nil
+	if osUser != "" {
+		u = osUser
+	}
+
+	return u
 }
 
 func CopyFile(src, dst string) error {