diff --git a/mythtv/files/mythbackend b/mythtv/files/mythbackend
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d5fe2fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mythtv/files/mythbackend
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#MYTHTV_HOME=/etc/mythtv
+# mythbackend runs as root by default, but support for running as a non-root
+# user should be functional. However, switching to a non-root user on an
+# existing setup will require fixing up permissions on files mythbackend
+# needs access to -- particularly, your recordings, which are owned by the
+# user mythbackend runs as. If you switch from running as root to running as
+# user mythtv, deleting existing recordings won't work until their file
+# ownership has been changed from root to mythtv as well.
+MYTHBACKEND_USER=mythtv
+#OPTIONS=
diff --git a/mythtv/manifests/init.pp b/mythtv/manifests/init.pp
index 076931a..d4399eb 100644
--- a/mythtv/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/mythtv/manifests/init.pp
@@ -61,6 +61,16 @@ class mythtv::backend {
 	require => Package["mythtv-backend"],
     }
 
+    file { "/etc/sysconfig/mythbackend":
+        ensure  => present,
+        source  => "puppet:///mythtv/mythbackend",
+        mode    => 0644,
+        owner   => root,
+        group   => root,
+        notify  => Service["mythbackend"],
+        require => Package["mythtv-backend"],
+    }
+
     file { "/root/.mythtv":
 	ensure  => "/etc/mythtv",
 	force   => true,