diff --git a/debian/grantpriv.sh b/debian/grantpriv.sh
index f64d9578bf..848fe3c45c 100755
--- a/debian/grantpriv.sh
+++ b/debian/grantpriv.sh
@@ -1,26 +1,28 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 
-user=gitlab
 dbname=gitlab_production
 
+# Take gitlab_user from envornment variable or use gitlab
+test -n "${gitlab_user:-}" || gitlab_user="gitlab"
+
 # If gitlab user cannot access gitlab_production,
 # then it means the gitlab role does not exist
-if ! su gitlab -c 'psql gitlab_production -c ""'
+if ! su ${gitlab_user} -c 'psql gitlab_production -c ""'
 then
-	echo "Create $user user with create database privillege..."
-	su postgres -c "psql -c \"CREATE USER $user CREATEDB;\"" || {
+	echo "Create ${gitlab_user} user with create database privillege..."
+	su postgres -c "psql -c \"CREATE USER ${gitlab_user} CREATEDB;\"" || {
 	  exit 1 
 	  }
 fi
 
 # By default the gitlab_prodcution is not owned by gitlab user
-echo "Make $user user owner of $dbname database..."
-su postgres -c "psql -c \"ALTER DATABASE $dbname OWNER to $user;\"" || {
+echo "Make ${gitlab_user} user owner of $dbname database..."
+su postgres -c "psql -c \"ALTER DATABASE $dbname OWNER to ${gitlab_user};\"" || {
   exit 1 
   }
 
-echo "Grant all privileges to $user user..."
-su postgres -c "psql -c \"GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE template1 to $user;\"" || {
+echo "Grant all privileges to ${gitlab_user} user..."
+su postgres -c "psql -c \"GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE template1 to ${gitlab_user};\"" || {
   exit 1
   }