diff --git a/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go b/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go
index b2bb84db3..22546f672 100644
--- a/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go
+++ b/provisioner/ansible/provisioner.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+	"os/user"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	Groups               []string `mapstructure:"groups"`
 	EmptyGroups          []string `mapstructure:"empty_groups"`
 	HostAlias            string   `mapstructure:"host_alias"`
+	User                 string   `mapstructure:"user"`
 	LocalPort            string   `mapstructure:"local_port"`
 	SSHHostKeyFile       string   `mapstructure:"ssh_host_key_file"`
 	SSHAuthorizedKeyFile string   `mapstructure:"ssh_authorized_key_file"`
@@ -119,6 +121,15 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Prepare(raws ...interface{}) error {
 		errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs, err)
 	}
 
+	if p.config.User == "" {
+		u, err := user.Current()
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = packer.MultiErrorAppend(errs, err)
+		} else {
+			p.config.User = u.Username
+		}
+	}
+
 	if errs != nil && len(errs.Errors) > 0 {
 		return errs
 	}
@@ -167,7 +178,7 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Provision(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator) error {
 
 	keyChecker := ssh.CertChecker{
 		UserKeyFallback: func(conn ssh.ConnMetadata, pubKey ssh.PublicKey) (*ssh.Permissions, error) {
-			if user := conn.User(); user != "packer-ansible" {
+			if user := conn.User(); user != p.config.User {
 				ui.Say(fmt.Sprintf("%s is not a valid user", user))
 				return nil, errors.New("authentication failed")
 			}
@@ -240,9 +251,11 @@ func (p *Provisioner) Provision(ui packer.Ui, comm packer.Communicator) error {
 		}
 		defer os.Remove(tf.Name())
 
-		host := fmt.Sprintf("%s ansible_host=127.0.0.1 ansible_user=packer-ansible ansible_port=%s\n", p.config.HostAlias, p.config.LocalPort)
+		host := fmt.Sprintf("%s ansible_host=127.0.0.1 ansible_user=%s ansible_port=%s\n",
+			p.config.HostAlias, p.config.User, p.config.LocalPort)
 		if p.ansibleMajVersion < 2 {
-			host = fmt.Sprintf("%s ansible_ssh_host=127.0.0.1 ansible_ssh_user=packer-ansible ansible_ssh_port=%s\n", p.config.HostAlias, p.config.LocalPort)
+			host = fmt.Sprintf("%s ansible_ssh_host=127.0.0.1 ansible_ssh_user=%s ansible_ssh_port=%s\n",
+				p.config.HostAlias, p.config.User, p.config.LocalPort)
 		}
 
 		w := bufio.NewWriter(tf)
diff --git a/scripts/build.sh b/scripts/build.sh
index 343ea04cf..415c64732 100755
--- a/scripts/build.sh
+++ b/scripts/build.sh
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ mkdir -p bin/
 echo "==> Building..."
 set +e
 gox \
+    -cgo \
     -os="${XC_OS}" \
     -arch="${XC_ARCH}" \
     -ldflags "-X main.GitCommit ${GIT_COMMIT}${GIT_DIRTY}" \
diff --git a/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.markdown
index 19dd6a761..bb0b26cea 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/provisioners/ansible.html.markdown
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ Optional Parameters:
 "ansible_env_vars": [ "ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING=False", "ANSIBLE_SSH_ARGS='-o ForwardAgent=yes -o ControlMaster=auto -o ControlPersist=60s'", "ANSIBLE_NOCOLOR=True" ]
 ```
 
+- `user` (string) - The `ansible_user` to use. Defaults to the user running
+  packer.
+
 ## Limitations
 
 The `ansible` provisioner does not support SCP to transfer files.