diff --git a/apache/manifests/init.pp b/apache/manifests/init.pp
index f1fd670..8f1f4c8 100644
--- a/apache/manifests/init.pp
+++ b/apache/manifests/init.pp
@@ -90,9 +90,29 @@ class apache::server inherits apache::common {
 
     case $operatingsystem {
         debian,ubuntu: {
+            if ! $httpd_user {
+                $user = "www-data"
+            } else {
+                $user = $httpd_user
+            }
+            if ! $httpd_group {
+                $group = "www-data"
+            } else {
+                $group = $httpd_group
+            }
             include apache::debian::server
         }
         centos,fedora: {
+            if ! $httpd_user {
+                $user = "apache"
+            } else {
+                $user = $httpd_user
+            }
+            if ! $httpd_group {
+                $group = "apache"
+            } else {
+                $group = $httpd_group
+            }
             include apache::redhat::server
         }
         default: {
@@ -174,9 +194,21 @@ class apache::sslserver inherits apache::common {
 
     case $operatingsystem {
         debian,ubuntu: {
+            $user = "www-data"
+            $group = "www-data"
             include apache::debian::sslserver
         }
         centos,fedora: {
+            if ! $httpsd_user {
+                $user = "httpsd"
+            } else {
+                $user = $httpsd_user
+            }
+            if ! $httpsd_group {
+                $group = "httpsd"
+            } else {
+                $group = $httpsd_group
+            }
             include apache::redhat::sslserver
         }
         default: {
diff --git a/apache/manifests/redhat.pp b/apache/manifests/redhat.pp
index aef1af6..c4d1761 100644
--- a/apache/manifests/redhat.pp
+++ b/apache/manifests/redhat.pp
@@ -1,12 +1,5 @@
 class apache::redhat::server {
 
-    if ! $httpd_user {
-        $httpd_user = "apache"
-    }
-    if ! $httpd_group {
-        $httpd_group = "apache"
-    }
-
     file { [ "/etc/httpd/conf.http.d",
              "/etc/httpd/site.http.d",
              "/srv/www/http",
@@ -122,13 +115,6 @@ define apache::redhat::site($aliases, $root, $redirect) {
 
 class apache::redhat::sslserver {
 
-    if ! $httpsd_user {
-        $httpsd_user = "httpsd"
-    }
-    if ! $httpsd_group {
-        $httpsd_group = "httpsd"
-    }
-
     package { "mod_ssl":
         ensure => installed
     }
diff --git a/apache/templates/apache2.envvars.erb b/apache/templates/apache2.envvars.erb
index 1ab5bc3..c187ebd 100644
--- a/apache/templates/apache2.envvars.erb
+++ b/apache/templates/apache2.envvars.erb
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 # Since there is no sane way to get the parsed apache2 config in scripts, some
 # settings are defined via environment variables and then used in apache2ctl,
 # /etc/init.d/apache2, /etc/logrotate.d/apache2, etc.
-export APACHE_RUN_USER=<%= httpd_user %>
-export APACHE_RUN_GROUP=<%= httpd_group %>
+export APACHE_RUN_USER=<%= scope.lookupvar('apache::server::user') %>
+export APACHE_RUN_GROUP=<%= scope.lookupvar('apache::server::group') %>
 export APACHE_PID_FILE=/var/run/apache2.pid
 
 ## The locale used by some modules like mod_dav
diff --git a/apache/templates/httpd.conf.erb b/apache/templates/httpd.conf.erb
index 64f59cc..ec17807 100644
--- a/apache/templates/httpd.conf.erb
+++ b/apache/templates/httpd.conf.erb
@@ -230,8 +230,8 @@ Include conf.http.d/*.conf
 #  when the value of (unsigned)Group is above 60000; 
 #  don't use Group #-1 on these systems!
 #
-User <%= httpd_user %>
-Group <%= httpd_group %>
+User <%= scope.lookupvar('apache::server::user') %>
+Group <%= scope.lookupvar('apache::server::group') %>
 
 ### Section 2: 'Main' server configuration
 #
diff --git a/apache/templates/httpsd.conf.erb b/apache/templates/httpsd.conf.erb
index feedaeb..f32d584 100644
--- a/apache/templates/httpsd.conf.erb
+++ b/apache/templates/httpsd.conf.erb
@@ -230,8 +230,8 @@ Include conf.https.d/*.conf
 #  when the value of (unsigned)Group is above 60000; 
 #  don't use Group #-1 on these systems!
 #
-User <%= httpsd_user %>
-Group <%= httpsd_group %>
+User <%= scope.lookupvar('apache::sslserver::user') %>
+Group <%= scope.lookupvar('apache::sslserver::group') %>
 
 ### Section 2: 'Main' server configuration
 #