diff --git a/lib/tiny-cloud/init b/lib/tiny-cloud/init
index 91b0b7e..0489000 100644
--- a/lib/tiny-cloud/init
+++ b/lib/tiny-cloud/init
@@ -201,6 +201,10 @@ init__set_default_interfaces() {
 
 init__create_default_user() {
 	local user="$CLOUD_USER"
+	if [ "$user" = "none" ] || [ -z "$user" ]; then
+		log -i -t "$phase" info "$ACTION: skip"
+		return
+	fi
 	# don't do anything if it already exists
 	if getent passwd "$user" >/dev/null; then
 		log -i -t "$phase" info "$ACTION: already exists"
diff --git a/lib/tiny-cloud/user-data/alpine-config b/lib/tiny-cloud/user-data/alpine-config
index 8a4e8de..5a868e3 100644
--- a/lib/tiny-cloud/user-data/alpine-config
+++ b/lib/tiny-cloud/user-data/alpine-config
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ init__userdata_user() {
 			return
 		fi
 	fi
+	if get_userdata | grep -q -x users; then
+		local default_user="$(get_userdata users/1)"
+		if [ "$default_user" != "default" ]; then
+			CLOUD_USER="$(get_userdata users/1/name)"
+			return 0
+		fi
+	fi
 	CLOUD_USER="${name:-$CLOUD_USER}"
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/tiny-cloud-alpine.test b/tests/tiny-cloud-alpine.test
index a26d839..6169f80 100755
--- a/tests/tiny-cloud-alpine.test
+++ b/tests/tiny-cloud-alpine.test
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ init_tests \
 	userdata_user_name \
 	userdata_user_missing_name \
 	userdata_create_default_user \
+	userdata_no_default_user \
 	userdata_ssh_authorized_keys \
 	userdata_groups \
 	userdata_bootcmd \
@@ -136,6 +137,18 @@ userdata_create_default_user_body() {
 		tiny-cloud main
 }
 
+userdata_no_default_user_body() {
+	fake_userdata_nocloud <<-EOF
+		#alpine-config
+		users: []
+	EOF
+	atf_check -e ignore -o ignore tiny-cloud early
+	atf_check \
+		-e match:"create_default_user: done" \
+		-o not-match:"adduser" \
+		tiny-cloud main
+}
+
 userdata_ssh_authorized_keys_body() {
 	fake_bin getent <<-EOF
 		#!/bin/sh